Fighting Destiny
by thelittlekeeton
Summary: Raven Akashi has been avoiding HOMRA and the red king, Mikoto Suoh, for six years. Through an unexpected turn of events, including saving Tatara Totsuka's life, she finds herself captured and questioned by that very clan. How will she deal with being in the presence of her old friend again? More importantly, how will the clan react to her being there?
1. It Begins

Shizume city was as busy as always. The streets were packed with people rushing from here to there, trying their best to stay out of the bitter cold as much as possible. The bright neon signs cast a rainbow glow on the perpetually wet streets. Looking down at the beautiful scene below me, it was almost easy to convince myself that all was right in the world.

"The cold must be getting to me again." I muttered to the sky. "December is such a cruel month."

I sighed as I took in the sights from my rooftop perch. At first glance the city was indeed beautiful. However, I didn't have to look hard to find the dirty corners that everyday citizens ignored. Another day had come and gone while everyone was consumed in their own selfish needs, too busy to open their eyes to what really went on. The crime that Metro PD covered up in the dark of night. The gang violence that took place in shady alleyways and abandoned warehouses. The parts of town that no one dared to venture into, no matter the time of day.

I stood and stretched, my red sweater riding up enough to expose a small strip of stomach, just as the wind picked up. I shivered, suddenly wishing that I had chosen something else to wear today. I had left in a rush tonight, giving very little thought to my outfit choice. I had been lounging around in a plain black tank top, black denim shorts, and thigh-high black socks when I noticed it was past time to leave. Instead of looking for something much warmer, I opted to grab a plain, crimson sweater and slip on my black combat boots that were by the front door. It was a rather boring outfit to most, but I wasn't trying to impress anyone.

I readjusted my clothes to cover a little more as I pulled my PDA from my back packet. Still no notifications.

"Tch." I clicked my tongue in annoyance. "I ran all the way out here and there's nothing going on."

No sooner than the words had passed my lips, the screen of my PDA lit up. It was a call to the outer edge of the city. I grinned as I put the device away and started making my way across the rooftops. It was a hit for some gang leader's right-hand man that stole something from a rival gang, or something like that. I didn't bother with the details. All I needed to know was where to go and how much I would get paid for doing the job.

I was only two or three buildings from the target's location when the sound of yelling reached my ears.

"Get back here you little shit!"

I picked up the pace, only slightly worried that someone else had already moved onto the job before me. I scanned the alleys, trying to locate the source of the rapid footsteps. I made the decision to work my way down and pursue my target on a more level playing field. Once on the ground I followed the trail of overturned trash cans and other debris to an old bakery. Twenty or more guys in dark clothes were at the entrance, poised with guns and other weapons in hand, ready for a serious fight. I felt my own heart rate speed up in response. I couldn't see who or what they were glaring at, so I stuck my head around the corner.

_What the fuck?_

Two younger looking men, no older than my own twenty-five years of age, were standing across from the mob. They were both dressed in normal street clothes and had no visible weapons on them. The one closest to me was slightly taller with short, spiked red hair and a single hoop piercing in his ear. He had both hands in his pockets, looking very bored with the situation. The other gentleman was very attractive and he carried his head high like he knew it. His long, light brown hair hung slightly into his eyes and he had a smirk on his face.

I scrunched my nose in confusion. I couldn't understand why the gun wielding mafia would look so afraid of these two ordinary men. That's when the brunette spoke up.

"Come on now guys. It doesn't have to be complicated." He reached his hand out as if waiting for something to be placed in it. "Just turn your man over to us and we'll be on our way."

"Fuck you, red!" One of the men in the crowd shouted. "This isn't any of your business. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave now and let us handle our own affairs."

The rest of the mob joined in the yelling and taunts, creating a blanket of noise loud enough for me to move unnoticed from my position. I scanned their faces as I crept around beside them, until I located my target. He was in the middle, one of the few not holding a gun or any other weapon. I figured that he had picked that position on purpose. Anyone wanting to get to him would have to go through everyone around him.

"Go figure." I heard the red-head mumble. "We're going to have to do this the hard way."

As soon as he said that, all hell broke loose. I ducked into a nearby corner as screaming and gunfire began to echo down the streets. I knew I had to make my move, and soon, before the situation got worse. I had only taken a couple steps forward, when a motorcycle came racing into the fray, red flames bursting from the tail end.

_You've got to be fucking kidding me. This bounty has suddenly become way too complicated for my taste. _

I didn't stick around to know what happened after. Those red flames belonged to a very notorious group in the inner city. One that I stayed away from at all costs. As I climbed back up to the safety of the rooftops, I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

"I guess I'm going to have to look for a different hunt."

The next few hours passed by slowly. No hits were coming in, so I chose to pass the time watching small street fights. I made a game out of it, betting against myself on who would win based on their appearance. When I grew bored with that, I would lay back and watch the silver airship run its route, or count helicopters that passed overhead. The white noise of the city was relaxing enough that I actually dozed off for a little while.

"I came up here to film the city lights."

The sound of a calm voice pulled me from my sleep. I rolled over to see two young men standing across from me. They must not have seen me when they came up, since I was mostly hidden behind a large ventilation unit. The one who had spoken had his back to me. I couldn't tell much about him, other than he had brown hair, but I could see that he was holding an old-fashioned movie camera. Across from him was a young boy that appeared to be in high school. He had hair as white as snow and didn't seem to be paying attention to the brunette.

"It's a nice night tonight." The brunette tried for conversation.

"A nice night you say?" The white-haired man turned then and I could see he had a gun.

He had a twisted, disturbing grin on his face as he fired a shot straight into the chest of the boy facing him. I moved as fast as I could across the rooftop. Acting on instinct alone, I jumped between the two of them, grabbing the wrist of the gunman, and drove my free hand into his stomach. I heard him gag as his breath was knocked from his lungs, and he dropped the gun while falling to his hands and knees. I kicked it away and, knowing he would down for a bit, moved the few feet to where the brunette was lying on the ground.

"Who are you?" he struggled to say.

I really looked at his face then and hissed out a sharp breath. Long, ashy blonde hair hung over his brown eyes and a single silver hoop adorned his left ear. I ripped open his shirt, partly to see the bullet would, but also to see if I was right. Unfortunately, I was. As I leaned the boy up in my arms, I could see the small emblem of flames on his shoulder.

"Shit. Tatara you idiot." I muttered.

"Y-you know me?" his breathing was shaky and his words came out stuttered and strung together.

"Just shut up and try to breath." I ordered.

As gently as I could, I ripped his shirt and jacket off enough to feel along his back for an exit wound. There wasn't one, which in this case, worked out better for him. I laid him flat on his back and started my work. He was losing blood fast, and for the second time I found myself wishing I had chosen a different outfit. I pulled my sweater over my head and ripped the sleeves off, forming a makeshift rag to fold and press down onto his chest. Even leaning all of my weight onto him, it was doing little stop the rapid flow of blood. I heard movement behind and glanced over my shoulder. The white-haired boy from before was gone.

_I don't have time to worry about that right now. Tatara is going to bleed to death if I don't do something quickly. _

"Dammit, I wasn't fast enough!" I screamed in frustration.

"H-hey, it's all, it's alright." His voice was fading and his skin was turning a ghostly shade of white. "It'll all work out in the end."

"Not if you die!" My yelling startled him, his eyes cutting up to mine. "Think of your clan! What will they do if you're not around! How would they feel?"

He opened and closed his mouth, not knowing how to respond. I made a quick decision that I only prayed I wouldn't regret later.

"Do you want to die?" I asked.

"W-what?" was his confused response.

"Just answer the fucking question! Do you want to die tonight?"

"N-no." he shook his head, tears pooling in his eyes. "Please, help me."

I sighed and leaned back on my heels, letting my hands hover on his wound. I closed my eyes and focused hard on the supernatural power lying dormant inside of me. Suddenly, like a damn bursting under pressure, a bright light enveloped the two of us. A long black tail formed at the base of my spine and I knew my sapphire eyes were shining. The wind seemed to pick up and my long black hair whipped around as the power flowed from me to him, closing his wound and restoring his health, almost as if the bullet had never pierced his skin. After a few moments the light faded, the only sign that anything had happened at all, was the silky tail sticking out from the back of my shirt.

"What did you do?" he asked at the same time a voice coming up the stairwell screamed his name.

"Tatara! Where the hell are you?"

I jumped to my feet and started backing away to the opposite side of the roof.

"Hey! Wait!" I heard him calling after me. "Who are you?"

As I looked back at him, two men came bursting through the stairwell door. I didn't recognize the younger one in the beanie, but I knew immediately who the older one was. It was impossible to mistake him for anyone else, with his sunglasses on despite it being well into the night and his unbuttoned black shirt haphazardly thrown over a plain white one. Tatara's attention was on them and I knew I should I go, but they hadn't noticed me yet. I lingered for just a moment too long, making sure that they were all okay, before turning to run again.

"Please, wait!"

Maybe it was the tone of his voice, or the chill of the night that made me stop just short of jumping the gap between my current roof and the next one. I looked over my shoulder to see all three of them on their feet moving toward me. I flinched, surprised at how close they were. I made eye contact with the shorter one and I could've sworn he stumbled a little and a rosy tint crossed his cheeks.

_Shit, it's now or never. Time to move. _

I didn't waste another minute. I flung myself over the edge, using my power to vanish out of sight. I looked up from the ground and could see them scanning the alleyway for me.

"Where did she go?" Tatara asked.

"There's no point looking for her." The man in dark sunglasses said, placing his hand on Tatara's shoulder. "Let's just get back home. Mikoto is going to want to know what happened."

I stayed perfectly still and quiet, long after they had left the rooftop.

_That was way too close. I don't think I'll be patrolling this side of town for a while. Knowing them, they'll be looking for me. _

I couldn't stop the thoughts running through my mind.

_That's the closest I've been to them in a long time. What would have happened if I had stuck around? Should I have stayed? At the very least to make sure Tatara is okay. I didn't leave him my name or anything so it's not like he could do anything to find me. Shit, my sweater. No, they couldn't find anyone by a sweater. They're people, not hounds. _

"Dammit all!" I yelled to the sky, running my hands into my hair to squeeze my head. "What the fuck is wrong with me?!"

I kicked a nearby dumpster out of frustration, regretting it immediately as the pain slowly spread through my foot. A long string of profanities spilled from my mouth as I made my way across the city to my apartment. I pulled my PDA from my pocket to make it a quick call.

"_Yea? What is it?"_

"I'm done. Don't send anything my way tonight. I'm heading home."

"_It's only midnight. You sure?"_

"Yes."

I ended the call and continued my walk. I knew I wasn't going to get any sleep at all.


	2. Shitty Circumstance

The blaring ring of my PDA echoed throughout the bedroom. I rolled over to check the caller ID, only to flip the device over, hitting the mute button in the process. It had been a week since the incident on the roof and I was still refusing to go on patrol. My contact was getting rather pissed off that I was ignoring him, but he could go to hell for all I cared. I didn't need the money as much as he needed someone to pick up the job, and he knew it too. I groaned and pulled the covers over my head.

_Why is this shit still running through my mind? I should have just left the kid there and moved on. Fuck, who am I kidding? I couldn't have done that even if I wanted to. I'm not heartless. _

Sleep was no longer an option. My brain was running on overdrive, so I got up and ran a shower, letting the hot water trickle down my skin. I enjoyed the burn. It helped me focus on something, or more accurately, nothing. It put my mind at ease for a while. Unfortunately, hot water doesn't run forever, and I had to leave my safe haven. With one towel wrapped around my busty figure, and another holding my hair, I ventured into the walk-in closet that was attached to the bathroom for easy access. Ripped black skinny jeans, combat boots, and a blue long sleeve NASA t-shirt were the clothes I picked for the day. It didn't take long for me to style my hair into two long, braided pigtails and my make up was rather simple. I grabbed my PDA, sunglasses, and some cash off the nightstand before exiting my apartment.

The sun was bright, even with my shades on. I had slept in, waiting until lunch time to get out of bed, and my stomach was giving me a strong reminder that I needed food, and soon. I dialed my contact and started making my way down the street to my favorite ramen shop.

"_It's about damn time! Do you know how angry my boss has been that you've been ignoring my calls?!"_

"Calm down." I rolled my eyes, even knowing he couldn't see me. "You knew I wasn't quitting. Besides, doesn't your boss disapprove of what I do?"

"_Tch. Whatever. You've got work to do. I'm sending you the target's picture and last known location now."_

"Now? In the middle of the day?"

"_Yes, now. I'm doing you a favor."_

"And what exactly is this favor?"

"_If you want to play dumb so be it. Are you taking the hit or not?"_

"Yea, I'll take it."

I hung up and grinned to myself. He would never admit it, but my contact was a nice guy. I hadn't told him what happened that night, but somehow, he knew. He also knew that the incident was the reason I wasn't going on patrol. So, he found me a daytime hit, when those guys weren't out as much.

_I guess ramen is going to have to wait. _

I wasn't far from the target location, so I went over and started my investigation. It was an apartment complex, a little on the run down side, with an entire section that was closed off for remodeling. I scoped out around the block, looking for any obvious signs of activity inside, but it looked like no one was working. I moved in, checking floor by floor for unlocked doors, recent damages, or anything else to indicate that someone had been there in the last couple of days. That's when I heard the voices. I had just made it to the top floor and I could see a few doors left open toward the end of the hallway. I used my powers to turn invisible so I could slip unnoticed into the rooms, trying to find the people speaking. Naturally, it was the very last room I checked. The door was open just enough that I could slide inside. It was empty, like they had knocked all the walls down, leaving a big open floor with a couple of metal folding chairs in the center of the room. Four or so men stood to the left by a window, just behind a rather attractive gentleman with long, blonde hair. Across from them were two guys that reminded me of the young men I had seen at my hit last week.

The one closest to me was heavy set with short blonde hair, wearing a gray tracksuit and more gold jewelry than any one person ever needed to own. The other was wearing a bowler hat of all things, and odd hexagon shaped sunglasses.

"Listen kids, we don't have time for games." The blonde man in the chair said with a smirk on his face. "I have more important things to take care of."

The two younger guys looked at each other and nodded. It was then that I recognized the one in the track suit. He had been riding the motorcycle the night of my last hit. I felt my stomach drop to my toes.

_How come I keep running into these idiots everywhere I go? Time to bail I guess._

I made a move toward the door, but my path was cut off as more gang members came rushing in the door. One kicked me as he passed, causing me to yelp in surprise. All eyes turned in my direction, scanning the room. No one could see me, but that didn't mean they couldn't feel me, and they were moving dangerously close.

"Hey asshole, you should pay more attention to what's in front of you!"

It was the man in the bowler hat who had essentially saved my life. His body erupted in red flame and I felt the heat singeing my skin.

_It's such a soothing heat. _

I couldn't help but close my eyes and revel in the warmth. The break in focus caused my invisibility to falter for just a moment, but that was all one of the guys near me needed.

"Hey! There's a chick here!"

There was no point in hiding anymore, so I stood tall, placing one hand on my hip.

"Where the hell did she come from?"

"Keiji Tachibana." I called out to the blonde leader. "I'm here for you."

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise." A devilish grin spread across his face and I had to stop myself from shivering at how disgusting it made him look. "I don't recall asking for a beautiful lady to come see me today, but I certainly won't turn you away. Unfortunately, you're going to have to wait a little while. I have some business to take care of at the moment."

He turned his head back to the younger men, and I took the opportunity to vault into a flip off the back of the guy in front of me, and land perfectly in front of my target. In one swift motion, I grabbed his shirt while kicking his feet out from under him so he was on his knees. My other hand was holding a small throwing knife I kept hidden in a wrist brace against his throat.

"Sorry, I'm not fond of waiting." I smirked and pulled his body around so my back was to the wall. The way I had twisted his shirt was choking him just enough that he had to use his hands to try and pry my grip loose. "You shouldn't struggle. I'm rather good at what I do. Plus, your bounty doesn't say you have to go in alive."

"You really think you'll make it out of this room, little girl?" He choked out a laugh. "These men will gun you down before you make it to the door!"

"You think I'm afraid of a gun or two?" I scoffed. "Besides, I know they won't shoot. They won't take the risk of hitting you on accident."

"What the hell?!" I snapped my head in track suits direction. "Who do you think you are butting in on our job like this? Do you have any idea who we are?"

"Sorry, but I don't have time to chat." I stretched my tail out from where I kept it carefully coiled around my torso, and wrapped it tightly around the man's throat. Since I could release his shirt, I placed my free hand on the wall, applying enough pressure for it to crumble. "I've got a paycheck to make."

Before they could move, I pulled the two of us out onto the scaffolding surrounding the complex. Thankfully the gang leader had the sense to get on his feet and run behind me. It was that, or be dragged by his throat. With his body as a riot shield of sorts at my back, I was certain none of his own men would shoot, but I didn't account for the other two actually chasing after me.

"Where do you think you're going?" I assumed that to be the voice of the bowler hat guy. "Hey! Stop!"

I chose to ignore them, instead looking for a way down from our current floor. I was coming to the end of the unstable boarding and it was looking more and more like I would have to climb down. With this idiot slowing me down, it wasn't going to be easy, much less quick enough to get away from my pursuers. I stopped suddenly and turned, swinging my fist as hard as I could at my hostage's temple. It did what I wanted, and knocked him unconscious.

"I said stop dammit!"

I heard the whistling of metal through the air, and stepped back. However, I didn't move far enough and the long pipe struck me hard across the shoulder. I felt a hot liquid trickle down my back and stumbled, trying to get my balance, only to have my face connect with the flame covered foot that had been aiming for my legs. The impact knocked me on my back and I saw stars as I fought to maintain consciousness.

_Fuck, are they trying to kill me?! I didn't even attack them. _

I struggled to my feet, the blood covering my back was making my shirt stick to me in a very uncomfortable way. I ground my teeth, trying to focus on using my powers to heal myself, but the pounding in my head from that kick was making it hard.

"Look, we didn't come here to fight with you, but we can't let you leave with our bounty." It was bowler hat guy again.

"Funny coming from you." I spat out with a fake laugh. "You're the one that hit me with the pipe."

"I was aiming for our target." He tried to justify himself. "I wasn't expecting you to knock him out at the same time I swung."

"Then what was with the kicking? I know you were aiming for my legs, but damn."

_This is good. Let them talk long enough to recover some. _

"I was trying to knock you over!" Mr. Pimp wannabe this time.

"More like knock me out."

My head was clearing up and the bleeding from my shoulder had stopped. Sadly, I didn't have the energy to do more than that. I forgot how much power these guys had. I was accustomed to fighting normal, everyday mob bosses with guns and some heavy explosives at most. Not supernatural freaks with insane magical abilities.

"Listen, we can make this really easy." Bowler hat reached his hand toward me palm up. "Just let us take this guy here and we'll forget we ever saw you."

"Tch. Sorry, but the likelihood of that happening is slim to none." I lifted my chin as I pulled two more throwing knives from my bracer, giving me one between each finger on my right hand. "I have no intention of being intimidated by the red clan."

They both took a step back, surprised that I did, in fact, know who they were. I used their shock to my advantage and slung the short daggers as hard as I could at the torsos of my assailants. I knew one hit its mark because of the pained hissing I could hear. My attention was on bowler hat though. Of the two he was most likely to keep up with me if I ran, and I figured he was the more agile as well. I ran forward, fist up toward his face, and he fell for the feint just like I wanted. He lifted his arm to block and at the last second, I dropped my weight to get as much upward force as I could, driving my elbow into his stomach. He stumbled back, but I moved with him, staying close to deliver short precise jabs. Just above the collarbone. Between the shoulder and collarbone. Between the ribs. Inside the pelvic bone. All the softs spots I had been trained to aim for that delivered the most damage without a lot of strength.

I could fight well, and I was definitely stronger than the average female. However, I wasn't invincible and I definitely didn't have endless amounts of stamina. I couldn't waste all of my energy at the start of a fight by delivering hard, heavy blows. I had to wear down my opponent and create enough stress on certain parts of their body so they could no longer move without additional pain.

I had the upper hand, and I was slowly but surely putting more force behind my punches. His guard was dropping and I was getting hits on the face every now and then. I was so focused on him, that I didn't hear track suit coming up behind me until the last second. He was doing a jump kick, powered by the flames of the red clan. I darted to my right to avoid the punch, but ended up stepping on a patch of weak boarding. I had nothing to grab onto and no more scaffolding for my other foot to find balance on.

"Grab my hand!" Bowler hat reached out for me, but it wasn't enough. "Dammit!"

Our fingertips grazed each other and my eyes widened in shock as my body began to free fall from four stories up.

_Fuck. _

I blacked out before my body hit the ground. I don't know how long I laid in the dirt, but when I started to come to, I was in the back of a van. My head was pounding and my neck was bent at a very uncomfortable angle. I tried to open my eyes but the light shining in the windows from up front hurt my head even more. Trying to move into a more comfortable position was out of the question too. As soon as I started to bend my legs a sharp pain shot up my thigh. I hissed in pain and tears pooled in the corners of my eyes.

"Hey, I think she's awake."

"We're almost there. Put that on her so we can take her inside."

"Do we really have to do all that? We look like creeps."

"Rikio, you idiot. We have no idea who she is, or what she's capable of. The last thing we want is her escaping and knowing exactly where to find us."

I heard a grunt and then my neck was being lifted up from the van floor. I tried to hold it in, but I couldn't stop the soft cries of pain. My body felt like it was broken everywhere. Just his minor movements put me through enough agony that I started to black out again. By the time we reached our destination, my consciousness was slipping away. The last thing I saw before the darkness swallowed me for the second time was a large red sign with gold lettering.

_HOMRA….. _


	3. Tension

"Alright Rikio, calm down. Just explain what happened."

"They just showed up out of nowhere, Mr. Kusanagi! We were at our location and even had the guy we needed! Then this punk showed up and tried to take him!"

My first thought when I opened my eyes was that I had gone blind. After a brief moment of panic, I remember the events that had just taken place.

_HOMRA. The red clan. I'm somewhere inside their HQ. Well this is shitty._

I tried to move my arms, but quickly realized I was tied in a sitting position to a chair. On top of that, my body still hurt like hell. It wasn't quite as bad as before, so I was thankful for that. The real problem at was that I had no idea what was about to happen.

"Yo, Bando, I heard you got your ass kicked by some little punk."

That was a voice I hadn't heard before.

"Shut the hell up, Yata. You wouldn't have done any better."

"You want to fuckin bet? There's a reason I'm third in command around here."

"Enough, both of you." That voice I recognized as the one called Kusanagi. "How about we take a look at our little problem causer."

I tensed my body and waited for the bag to be pulled from my head. I expected to be in a dark room where I couldn't see anything, but instead, I was in a well-lit area with open windows facing toward me. My head still hurt just a bit, and the sunlight streaming on my face wasn't helping. I blinked a few times so that my eyes could adjust, and did a quick scan of my surroundings. From what I could tell, I was inside a restaurant of some sort with a large bar to the left of me, and plush, cushioned booths and tables in front of me. What I had initially thought was a chair holding my restraints was actually a couch and my legs had been tied to the coffee table in front of me.

"Holy shit, it's a girl!"

I grimaced as I whipped my head toward the one who had said that. I recognized him as the shorter, beanie clad guy from the rooftop the night I saved Tatara. I knew for certain he was blushing this time and he quickly averted his gaze. Next to him was Kusanagi, then the two men I had fought with at the apartment complex.

"Rikio, untie her. Now." Kusanagi ordered.

I looked up at him, my eyes wide with confusion.

"Mr. Kusanagi, I don't understand." Rikio protested. "She fought us! We don't let anyone get away with messing with HOMRA!"

"I said untie her." He went around the bar and grabbed a bottle of whiskey, a rag, and what looked to be a first aid kit from under the counter. "Now, Rikio. I won't ask again."

The track suit wearing man clicked his tongue in annoyance, but did as he was told. As soon as I was freed from the ropes, I started slowly moving my arms and legs. Testing muscles and joints to see if anything was torn or broken. Aside from a few deep cuts and some nasty bruises, I seemed to be okay.

"Are you okay?" It was Kusanagi again. He had sat down beside me and holding out a glass of water for me to take. "My boys failed to inform me that the punk they almost killed was a girl. I'm terribly sorry for their rudeness."

I took the water and drank slowly, relishing in the feeling of the cool liquid going down my throat,

"Would you mind if I tended to your wounds?" Kusanagi asked. "It looks like you've got a rather nasty gash on your shoulder, and your lower stomach may be cut."

I didn't oppose, so he opened the first aid kit and began pulling different items out that he thought he would need. The whole time he was apologizing to me, saying how he would have never let them tie me up like that if he had known. I stayed quiet, sipping my water and watching his hands work as he prepped the medical supplies.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you to remove your shirt" I turned his head to the small crowd of boys around us. "Would you gentlemen mind giving the young lady a moment of privacy?"

They all stuttered out quick apologies and turned their backs.

"It's fine." I mumbled as I pulled my shirt over my head; the dry soreness finally gone from my throat. "And can you stop the act now, please? It's annoying."

I looked up to meet Kusanagi's eyes. He was grinning at me as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Izumo." He faltered at my use of his first name. "It's alright. I appreciate you trying to help, but there's no point. I can't run away before he gets to me this time. I know he's here."

He furrowed his brow and started cleaning my wounds. I tried to sit as still as possible, but the burn on the larger cuts was hard to handle. He stayed silent throughout the process, only giving me small nudges when he needed me to turn a certain way. When he was finished, I went to put my shirt back on, but he stopped me.

"Let me get you a clean shirt from upstairs." He offered. "Yata, go grab something clean from the laundry please."

The shorter one the beanie took off up the stairs, returning shortly with a plain white t-shirt. He kept his eyes averted when he passed Kusanagi the material.

"No offense Mr. Kusanagi, but why are we doing anything for her?" he asked, turning his face away.

"Are you suggesting we let a lady sit in my bar with just her bra on?" he raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Or would you rather she put her ripped and bloody shirt back on?"

The young man tugged his beanie down, trying to cover his face.

"N-No!" he stuttered. "That's not it at all! It's just that she tried to ruin our bounty hunt! If she's fighting against HOMRA we don't owe her anything."

"Don't jump to conclusions Yata." Kusanagi scolded him. "You weren't there so you don't know what happened."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance, pulling the new shirt over my head. It was soft and smelled like cologne and cigarettes.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks." I snapped. "I had a job to do. I let you take one hit from me already. I wasn't about to lose another one, regardless of who I was fighting for it."

"You better watch how the hell you talk to us!" It was the one they called Rikio. "We're not just some street punks! We're HOMRA!"

"I don't fucking care." I snapped, getting to my feet. "HOMRA, the police, the Prime Ministers private guard. It doesn't fucking matter. I'll take on anyone that gets in my way."

Rikio balled his fists up, but Yata stepped in his way, hitting him over the head.

"What have I told you about scaring girls, you idiot." He cut his eyes over to me. "Even if she got in a fight with you, she's still a girl. You know how I feel about that."

"He's right Rikio." Kusanagi piped up from behind me. "Besides, it's up to him to decide what happens."

_Him, huh? _

"It's not too late." I whipped my head around in surprise, looking up at Kusanagi. "I'll make sure they don't talk. You would have to go now though. He's supposed to be back already."

I shook my head, knowing that I wouldn't get far enough this time. Not with my current injuries. I sat back down on the couch, twisting the ends of my ruined braids. My knees were bouncing uncontrollably and it was suddenly way too cold for me. It hurt to breathe. I grabbed the shirt at my chest and twisted, stretching the material. I was panting, trying to maintain my composure.

_He's coming. He's coming._

"Hey, y-"

What Kusanagi was about to say was cut off by the ring of the bell above the door, indicating that someone had entered the bar.

"We're back Mr. Kusanagi! I hope you didn't miss us while we were gone." The voice sounded fuzzy to my ears, almost as if they were filled with cotton. "I picked up some groceries to make curry tonight."

I turned my head to the right slowly. It felt like my whole body had been coated in molasses. In the doorway was Tatara, followed by a white-haired little girl in a black and red dress. But it was the sight of the man behind her that made my heart stutter. My breathing became even more erratic and I drew my knees up to my chest, curling into a seated fetal position.

"Mikoto." The sound of his name rolling on Kusanagi's tongue was like knives. "I'm glad your back. We've had a little problem in your absence."

The room fell quiet and I knew all eyes were on me. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. All I could do was squeeze my eyes shut and wait. I heard footsteps and I felt the warmth of someone standing way too close to me.

"Look at me."

The authority in his voice made my jerk my head up. He had squatted down, giving me a direct view of his features. His bright amber eyes were level with mine. His fiery red hair was long, with a couple of loose strands hanging over his face. He had one ear pierced with a silver hoop and was wearing a black jacket with fur around the hood, over a plain white shirt. His expression was blank, but I found myself shaking from terror. He radiated power, much more than his clansmen.

"Mikoto, you're scaring her." Kusanagi's voice disrupted the quiet. "At least give her some room to breathe. She's been through a lot today."

Mikoto didn't move. I don't know how long he sat there staring right at my eyes. I couldn't look away either. When he finally lifted his hands, I flinched and closed my eyes. What I didn't expect, was for him to reach his arms around me in a hug.

"M-Mr. Mikoto?"

"I'm glad you're alive." My body went slack at his words. My arms fell to my sides and my feet hit the floor, allowing him to pull me tighter to him. "Raven."

I didn't know what to say. A hug was not the response I thought he would have to the situation. Honestly, it pissed me off. It didn't register in my brain until after I had done it, but I shoved Mikoto back, hard enough that he fell over, and I got to my feet. He looked up at me, surprised, and I could see his clansmen move forward.

"Mr. Mikoto!"

"How dare you!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Shut the hell up, all of you!" I yelled. My hands were balled into fists at my sides. "Just shut up!"

I was scowling hard enough that my brow was hurting. Mikoto got to his feet and reached a hand toward me that I shoved away.

"Don't fucking touch me, dammit!" I looked away from him, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Raven." Kusanagi said my voice quietly, almost in a whisper.

"What the fuck is going on right now?" Yata asked, to no one in particular. "I don't understand anything."

"What's going on is that I know him." I said, waving my arm in Mikoto's direction. "I know Izumo, too, and I've lived the last several years of my life avoiding them and this bar and fucking HOMRA in general! And now, because I got greedy over a stupid bounty, I got my ass kicked by you idiots, got dragged here while unconscious in a fucking van, tied to a couch, and had to face the only person in the entire fucking world that I didn't ever want to see again!"

I had been waving my arms throughout my rant, causing the wound in my shoulder to open again. Blood was starting to run down my back again, and that pissed me off even more.

"And now I'm fucking bleeding again!"

Mikoto reached for me again, and this time I didn't move away. Tears were falling silently down my face. I no longer had the energy to fight. He grabbed my bicep and turned me so he could see my shoulder better.

"Tell me what happened." His voice had that dominant tone from earlier, and I didn't know if he meant me or some one else. "Now."

I opened my mouth to explain, but bowler hat guy, who's name I still didn't know, started telling the story. He recounted the details from when they started their bounty hunt, to me showing up in the room, then the fight, and putting me in the van to bring me here. I corrected only a couple of small details, and when Mikoto asked if the fight had really started as an accident, I nodded yes. At some point in the story he had motioned for Kusanagi to take care of my shoulder, and everyone but the two of them looked away until he got me a new shirt.

"Even if it was all a misunderstanding, she still crossed HOMRA!" Rikio protested. "We never let anyone get away with that!"

"I'm not concerned about that, so much as the fact the King and Mr. Kusanagi seem to know this young lady very well." Tatara cocked his head to the side, smiling gently at me.

"Don't call me young lady." I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm older than you. It wasn't a misunderstanding either. I knew damn well who you were and what I was doing when I tried to take _my_ bounty."

"You little bitch!"

Rikio raised he fist toward me, but it was Yata who stopped him again.

"I already told you to cut that shit out!" He yelled, striking his clansman over the head. "She's still a girl."

"Do you have some moral code or some shit that makes you look at girls as inferior?" I asked, placing one hand on my hip. "Ask your friend over there, I'm more than capable of handling myself. I don't need you holding him back because you're afraid of girls."

"I-I'm not afraid of girls!" he retorted, looking me in the eyes for the first time. "I just don't like starting fights with them. It feels wrong."

"So even though I defied your clan, you're going to keep them from punishing me for it?" I rolled my eyes. "How chivalrous of you."

"Come on now Raven." Izumo spoke, holding his hands up defensively. "He's just trying to be nice. Yata isn't the most refined of us, but his heart is in the right place."

"Look, can you just decided what the hell you're going to do to me so I can move on?" I asked. "I'm sure you've got more important things to do anyway. I'll stay away from this side of town, so I won't be interrupting your hunts. You'll never have to see me again."

"I still want to know your relation to King and Mr. Kusanagi." Tatara piped up. "There seems to be a lot of history between you three."

Izumo looked at me, as if asking permission. I shrugged, letting him know I didn't care one way or the other.

"It's quite a long story, so everyone might want to take a seat." He instructed.

As the clansman found their seats, I walked over to the bar.

"Do you mind?" I asked, pointing my finger to the expansive liquor selection. "If we're getting into all this shit I'm going to need a drink."

I grabbed a couple bottles of dark whiskey off the wall and sat in the barstool next to him. He raised his eyebrow at me, making sure I was ready. I unscrewed the cap of the first bottle and took a long swig.

"Alright, let's get started shall we?"


	4. Memories

"We met when Mikoto and I were just fourteen, long before he was a King. We were hanging out in the park skipping school, when we noticed a girl sitting by herself. I tried to approach her, but she yelled at me to stay away, saying she was dangerous. After talking with her for a while we learned that her name was Raven Akashi and she was a strain.

"She was born one, but her family had no idea what was happening. They abandoned her to a local orphanage. She told us that she never stayed at one long, because she would accidently hurt someone with her magic and they would send her away. Eventually, she ended up in Shizume city, where she ran away from her last orphanage. We didn't know what to think at first. Mikoto didn't believe her, at least not until she showed him her tail."

"He pulled it because he thought it was fake." I muttered. "That shit hurt."

I could see Mikoto grin from the couch, but he said nothing, so Izumo continued with his story.

"You have a tail?!" Yata and Rikio asked in unison.

"Yes, she does." Izumo responded. "Anyway, Raven stayed with us after that, having nowhere else to go. She had no formal education, and couldn't enroll in school without going back to the orphanage, so we taught her things. We also helped her learn to control her powers. Strains are known for being apt at sensory manipulation, but she could also change physical objects around her.

"What does that mean?" Rikio asked. "Could she move things with her mind or something?"

"Well, yes, that too." Izumo nodded. "But she could touch a wall and create a hole, or put her hand to the ground and make spikes or a wall would erupt from the ground."

"That's what you did at the apartment complex!" Bowler hat guy said.

_I really need to learn his name._

"Yes, but at the time, I could only do little things." I took a drink from my bottle before continuing. "I couldn't move brick at all, and I could only make small sections of wood do what I wanted. Basically, the only thing I could control, was dirt."

"But she was learning." Izumo cut me off. "She was getting stronger every day. When the Kagutsu crater happened, it jolted her powers. It was almost as if there was no limit to the power she could draw from the Dresden Slates."

"And that's when everything turned to shit." I said, putting down the now empty bottle so that I could open another. "Because that's exactly what was happening. I was sucking power from the slates like a vacuum. At the time, it was fine. Scepter 4 hadn't been reformed yet, so there was no one monitoring strain activity. But it wouldn't be long before we met you, Tatara."

"Me?" he asked, pointing to his own chest.

"Yes you." I had abandoned my bottle, feeling a steady buzz, and was working on undoing my braids. "This scrawny kid shows up and starts telling Mikoto that he's going to be a King. I thought you were crazy. Sure, I looked up to Mikoto. He and Izumo probably saved my life that day. More than that, they were the only friends I ever had. I loved them. I knew Mikoto would make a great King, but I didn't want him to. I didn't want to share him with the lowlife pieces of shit that would inevitably find him, and try to use him for his power."

"But he actually did become a King." Izumo continued for me. "Shortly after that Scepter 4 was brought back with their new King."

"So I left." I finished pulling out my braids, and turned my attention back to the bottle. "With Scepter 4 back in action, I knew it wouldn't take them long to find me. I didn't flaunt my powers, but when I needed them, I would use them. Combine my lack of secrecy with the fact that I could continually pull power from the Dresden Slates, there was no way I would go unnoticed. The previous blue and red kings didn't exactly get along, and I had the feeling it would be the same with Mikoto and Munakata. Instead of using Mikoto as a shield, I decided to go off on my own. That was five years ago."

The room was quiet, no one knowing what to say. I finished off the last of my liquor and stood, stretching my sore muscles. I figured now was as good a time as any to head out. I had taken one step when I was stopped.

"Where are you going?" Izumo asked, stepping into my path.

"Does it matter?" I side-stepped around him, only to be cut off again by Tatara this time.

"It does, actually." He insisted. "There's still so much that needs to be talked about."

"I don't understand why you left." Yata piped up. "You abandoned him when he probably needed you the most. You say he was your friend but that sounds a lot like betrayal to me."

"What the hell would you know about it?!" I snapped, turning my fury on him. "You didn't know Mikoto before he became a king, before HOMRA existed. You probably came to him in the first place for the exact same reason every other punk here did. You saw that he had power and you wanted it."

"I didn't join him for power." Tatara argued. "I saw something inspiring in him. I wanted to be a part of his legacy as a friend. I'm sure Izumo didn't stick around for power either."

"Even better then!" I flung my hands in the air in exasperation. "He has friends that can actually look out for him instead of causing trouble. I've seen the red clansman around. You create a lot of problems. If you think Scepter 4 is bad now, you can't imagine what it would be like if they knew he was harboring a strain of my level. They would never leave him alone!"

"Who cares about that?!" Yata yelled back, taking a few frustrated steps toward me. "He's your friend! If he gave a shit about the blues, he would have never been your friend in the first place."

"That's the whole problem!" I felt tears pooling in the corners of my eyes and I cursed myself for always crying when I got angry. "He doesn't care! He would have had no problem at all with me being here. He would have stuck his neck out for me, gotten hurt, possibly even killed for me! I couldn't live with myself if that were to happen."

I was truly crying at this point, my voice coming out in broken sobs. I was mad about so many things. I was mad that I ran into Tatara that night. I was mad that I let myself get caught trying to take that bounty. Most of all, I was mad that the shit Yata was saying made sense. I had lived the last six years of my life convinced that I had done the right thing by leaving Mikoto and Izumo behind. By moving across the city and staying as far away as possible, I thought I was doing him a favor. I never once thought he might need me around. I assumed he had grown to resent me, maybe even hate me for it.

"I looked for you."

I turned to see Mikoto standing right next to me.

"What?" I choked out.

"I looked for you. Every day." He looked to the side and scratched the back of his neck. "I stopped for a while, thinking that the best thing was to leave you alone. But more people kept coming to me and I realized I could use them. Any mission they went on I always told them to look for a weird strain girl with freaky blue eyes. I never heard anything, but I didn't stop searching."

I didn't know what to say. I wasn't used to Mikoto having so much to say all at one time, and I hadn't expected anything what came out of his mouth. I fell to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably. I tried to hide my face in my hands, but I couldn't stop the sad cries that escaped my lips.

"I don't hate you either." Mikoto added, sitting down next to me. "I may not say much, and I didn't think I would have to say this at all, but you are my friend, Rae."

"Mikoto. I missed you." This time, I hugged him, burying my face into his chest. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I left. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you or Izumo about how scared I was. I'm sorry I attacked your clansmen. I'm just so, so, sorry."

He didn't say anything. He just stroked my hair and let me cry until I had no more tears left. I leaned back and wiped my face, certain that my makeup was smeared everywhere. Sure enough, when I looked up, I could see black stains on Mikoto's shirt.

"Um, Mikoto." We looked up at Tatara. "We have some company."

He pointed to the door where several more clansmen had come into the bar. They were staring, mostly open-mouthed, at me and Mikoto sitting in the floor. I jumped to my feet, taking a few steps back, creating some space between the two of us. I turned my back to the newcomers as well, not really wanting them to see how horrible I looked at the moment. I wasn't big into impressions and all, but I didn't want anyone to see me while I looked like a raccoon.

"Raven why don't you come with me for a moment." Izumo spoke up, waving for me to follow him. "I'll show you where the bathroom is."

I mumbled my thanks and followed him up the staircase. He pointed to a door and said I could wash up in there. Once safely inside, I locked the door and leaned against the sink. I ran some cold water and scrubbed my face clean as best I could, getting most of my makeup off. Satisfied with the results, I turned to let myself out, but stopped short of grabbing the handle. Behind me was a window big enough I could slip out. If I was quiet, I could make my escape.

_Who am I kidding? Even if I made it out, there's no way Mikoto would let me stay away. Not after all the shit that just happened. Not to mention the fact that I apologized for running away in the first place. I know he said he's not mad, but there's only so many times I can run away before he gets pissed off. But what do I do if I go back downstairs? It wouldn't be so fucking awkward if the rest of his clansmen hadn't shown up. Now I have to not only face Mikoto, but all the rest of those morons down there. _

A quiet knock on the door surprised me. I opened it up to see Yata standing there.

"Hey, Mr. Kusanagi wanted me to make sure that you're okay." He had his head turned slightly away, but I could tell he was scowling.

"Yea, I'm good." I looked down at my feet.

Suddenly, I found myself embarrassed. Not about my appearance, but for the things I said downstairs. I slid past him and took a couple steps toward the stairs, stopping short of actually going down.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" he asked.

"I said I'm sorry." I looked up to meet his eyes. "I said some pretty harsh things about your clan. And I can't remember, but I may have called you stupid at some point. I just want you to know that it was nothing personal. You know now that there's a lot of history between me, Mikoto, and Izumo. I had a lot of pent up feelings and shit that I wasn't really ready to deal with. I was forced into being here against my will. It was all too much too fast." 

The beanie wearing boy blushed and looked away.

"I don't really understand everything that's going on, but I sort of get it." He seemed to be struggling with what he wanted to say. "I said some pretty harsh shit too. I'm not the best at talking to girls in the first place, and I lost my cool. I owe a lot to Mr. Mikoto. Hearing someone talk shit about him pissed me off. He's always taught us to stand tall and be proud of who we are. Until I heard the whole story, I assumed you were just another person that looked down on HOMRA. So, yea, my bad."

He stopped abruptly; clearly having reached his limit of conversation with a female. I didn't have anything else to add, so we descended the stairs in silence. The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and drinks siding on tabletops. Yata and I slipped in relatively unnoticed. He went over to a group of guys I didn't recognize, while I went to the bar where Mikoto was sitting. He gave me a single pat on the head and went back to smoking his cigarette. If there was any doubt in my mind that he had any resentment toward me for leaving, it was gone.

"So, Raven." Tatara called from my left. "What are you going to do now?"

"Go back to work I guess." I shrugged, not having thought about it. "I still have a job to do."

"You do bounty hunting just like us, right?"

"Yea, but it's not really for the money anymore. I've saved up quite a bit in the last couple years. It's more or less just something to do so I'm not bored all the time. Plus, I only take very specific jobs that my contact gives me."

"Who's your contact?"

"I get the feeling that you wouldn't like the guy very much." I scowled, knowing that was an understatement.

"So after that heartfelt reunion you're just going to leave again?" It was bowler hat guy who's name I somehow_ still_ had not learned. "What was the point in all that shit we just went through?"

"I'm not saying I won't come around or anything." I snapped, immediately getting defensive. "I don't know what you expect me to do."

"Stay here."

The entire bar's attention was now on Mikoto who had, once again, said something I did not expect.

"What?!" A chorus of voices echoed around us.

His clan was clearly not on board with his decision. Cries of protest filled the bar. Some were saying I couldn't be trusted. Others said having a girl would slow them down.

"I understand that you two made up, but you can't just let her stay here King! We have no idea what she's been up to the last few years. She could be a spy for the blues!"

That last comment hurt, considering he wasn't terribly far from the truth.

"She can definitely fight, but she's been working alone." It was Rikio this time. "If she's still getting calls from her own contact, what are we supposed to do if we get the same hit?"

"She's probably going to bring all her enemies here, too. I'm sure she's made a few."

Their words become more and more hurtful the longer I listened. They insulted my skills as a hunter, doubted the powers I held as a strain, and refused to believe that I was sorry for having left Mikoto. I knew they were just sticking up for their clan, but it didn't make it any easier to hear. I clenched my fists at my sides and tilted my head to the floor. I wasn't going to argue with them, but I wasn't going to run away either. They could say all the hateful things they wanted to. I deserved it.

"That's enough, boys." Izumo's stern voice killed all conversation. "It's up to your King to decide if she can stay here or not, and Raven has to pick what she wants to do."

All eyes were on me. The truth was that I didn't know what I wanted. I also didn't know if he was offering me a home at the bar, or membership into his clan.

"You don't have to decide right now, Raven." Mikoto assured me, giving my head another gentle pat.

"You can hang out here for a few days and see how you like it first." Tatara offered. "I don't go on missions because I can't fight, so I could keep you company."

"If you're uncomfortable staying upstairs, you could always move closer." Izumo suggested. "Tatara and I would help you move your things into your new apartment."

"Okay, slow down." I held my hands in a stop motion. "I have been looking at moving anyway because I have to travel pretty far from my current place to where most my jobs are. It would be nice to spend some time with you and Mikoto as well. And you too, Tatara."

I felt a tug on my shirt and looked down to see the Lolita girl from earlier. I had completely forgotten she was even there. She was holding a red marble in front of her eye and seemed to be looking at me through it. A few tense moments passed before she put the glass ball away in a hidden pocket of her dress.

"I can see her." She spoke softly. "But it's not red."

I had no idea what she meant, so I looked at Izumo for help.

"Anna is a strain, like you." He explained. "She has a very unique set of powers, one of them being able to see into people's minds with the help of her marbles. She can also locate people with them."

"That's amazing." I breathed. "But I still don't understand the color thing, or what she meant when she said she could see me."

"She's colorblind, but when she became a clansman, she was able to see red while looking through her marble. When she said she could see you, she meant you're in color. But Anna," he turned his attention to the girl, "what do you mean she's not red?"

"She's blue, but it's different from the others." She stated simply.

"I'm blue?" I was more confused than before. "I'm different from who?"

"You're not the same blue as The Blues." Tatara explained, very unhelpfully.

"None of you are making any sense right now." I rubbed my temples. "You're telling me she's colorblind, but she can see color through the marble as long as its red. However, she can see me in color, and I'm blue?"

I phrased the end of my explanation as a question, waiting on someone to help me.

"You're almost right." Izumo laughed. "It's not that she can only see _red_ things in color. The marble _gives_ everything a red _hue_."

"Okay." I was starting to get it. "But for some unknown reason, it didn't make me red. I'm blue?"

"Yes, but a different blue than Scepter 4. She can see the other clan's colors through the marble because their aura, and her power, both come from the slates."

"So what exactly does that mean?"

"That, we don't know."

I was at a complete loss. I laid my head down on the bar, suddenly exhausted.

"Raven, why don't we call it a night." Izumo suggested. "You can stay here for the night and we'll get back to our conversation in the morning."

"I don't think we have a spare room." Tatara said.

"She can have mine." Mikoto offered, standing from his spot on the couch. "I'll sleep on the couch. Come on, I'll show you where it is."

It was evident there was no arguing with him, so I followed upstairs to the far end of the hallway. The door opened into a very spacious room.

"Get some sleep, Rae." He pulled my head into his chest. "I'm glad you're home."

I smiled and grabbed his shirt, wishing him good-night. He closed the door on his way out, leaving me to get comfortable. I stripped down to my underwear and started to get in bed, but decided I should put the shirt back on, just in case. I crawled under the covers and breathed in the familiar scent of cologne and cigarettes.

There were a lot of uncertainties with the current situation. I had no idea what the next few days would bring, or how his clansmen would treat me. Regardless of it all, I fell asleep knowing that, for now at least, I was home.


	5. First Step

"_How could you do this to us? What kind of monster are you?"_

_Shadowy figures loomed over me, the only discernable features being the scowls on their faces._

"_You're a horrible creature. Can you imagine the grief you've put your mother through?" _

"_Mommy, Daddy, I don't understand."_

_The figures reached their hands toward me, grabbed and pulling at my clothes. _

"_Just be quiet. You'll no longer be a problem soon."_

"_I'm scared. Please, I don't know what I did wrong!"_

_I was held down by my arms and legs as a third figure appeared. He had a threatening grin on his face. He leaned down over me, pulling out a large syringe. His face was uncomfortably close to mine._

"_Don't be afraid. This will all be over soon." _

"_No. No. NOOOOOO!" _

I jolted upright, my own screaming scaring me. I had broken out in a cold sweat, the shirt on my body now damp and sticky. My breathe came in short bursts as I struggled to calm down. I heard footsteps running up the stairs and then my door burst open.

"What's going on? Are you alright?"

Tatar and Izumo were standing there, looking as scared as I felt.

"I'm alright." I relaxed the death grip I had on the sheets. "I just had a bad dream."

_Just a dream, nothing more._

"Do you still get the same nightmares?" Izumo asked while walking over to the bed.

"The same ones?" I scrunched my brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You don't remember?" He raised his brow, seeming surprised. "When we were younger you would have night terrors all the time. It got to the point that you couldn't sleep in the room by yourself."

I had no idea what he was talking about. As far as I could remember, these dreams had only been happening within the last couple of weeks. It was the same one every time, but it only occurred every three or fours nights. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember any details about it once I woke up. It was all so vague.

"I don't remember having nightmares as a kid." I said, shaking my head. "This is new to me."

"It may just be stress from all the excitement of yesterday." Tatara suggested. "How about you come downstairs and have some of Mr. Kusanagi's waffles. They're the best in town."

"That sounds like a great idea." I smiled and started to swing my feet over the edge of the bed, then stopped, remembering what I had fallen asleep in the night before. "Um, you would mind letting me have a moment to change first? I'm not exactly decent."

"Oh! That reminds me." Tatara stepped out briefly, coming back with a rather large duffle bag. "Mikoto went and bought some clothes for you this morning. He said everything should fit, but if not, you can always wear one of his shirts again. He didn't want to wake you up when he came in here and changed."

I blushed at the thought of Mikoto having been in here while I was sleeping. What made it worse was the fact that I had been mostly naked. It wasn't like he and Izumo hadn't seen me in my underwear or anything before, but it was different then.

"We'll give you a few minutes to get ready." Izumo gave me a pat on the head before he and Tatara left.

Once the door was safely closed behind them, I threw the covers off of me. The hardwood floor was cold on my toes and I hoped that Mikoto had some socks in that bag. I did some stretches to test my muscles from the fight yesterday, before walking into the attached bath. There was a fresh towel on the counter with a note on top telling me to feel free to use the shower. I did as suggested, rinsing off the lingering dried blood from my skin and hair. I had to use Mikoto's mint scented shampoo and body wash.

_I really hope this doesn't dry my skin out. I'm usually really picky with my soaps. I guess beggars can't be choosers. _

After I was clean, I wrapped the towel around myself and ventured back into the bedroom. Inside the duffel bag I found my jeans from yesterday, now washed and folded, several long and short sleeve shirts varying in design, two packs of knee-high socks and some tights, all in black. Under that were a couple pairs of denim shorts, one leather jacket, a dark crimson hoodie, and at the very bottom, a pair of what looked to be thigh-high, combat style boots.

_Damn Mikoto. How much money did you spend? I know I'm supposed to be here for a few days, but it's not like I couldn't run home and grab some stuff. I've got enough clothes in my closet that I don't wear as it is. _

After looking each item over, I decided on dark shorts over a pair of sheer tights, a black long sleeve shirt that a had a deep v-cut in the front, and my new boots. I was warm enough from my shower that I didn't want another layer, so I tied the red hoodie around my waist for later use. I ducked back in the bathroom and borrowed Mikoto's brush to get the tangles from my hair, and decided that was good enough since I didn't have any makeup.

"You alive up there, Raven?" I hear Izumo calling. "Waffles are ready."

"I'm coming!" I yelled back.

As soon as I opened the bedroom door, the smell of food hit me in the face. My stomach growled loudly and I realized that I hadn't eaten anything in a while. I rounded the corner and saw a plate of fresh waffles topped with whipped cream and bananas. Next to it was a glass full of some pink liquid. 

"Is this strawberry milk?" I asked, sitting in a barstool next to Tatara.

"Yes, it is." Izumo said smiling. "I hope you still like it."

"I do actually." I brought the glass to my lips and took a small sip. "It has way too much strawberry syrup in it. Just how I like it."

He and I laughed together. It was weird. Six years had gone by, but he and Mikoto still remembered little things about me. My favorite drink, my shoe size, my favorite colors. They really hadn't forgotten about me.

"Hey, Izumo." The bartender turned his head toward me. "Where's my PDA and my watch? And all of my earrings?"

I had noticed they were missing while I was in the shower. I had the intention of looking for them once I got out, but the call of food was too strong.

"I've got your earrings and watch right here." He slid them to me. "Your PDA is a little complicated."

"What do you mean complicated?" I started putting the many piercings back in one by one. "What happened?"

"We're assuming it got destroyed when you fell off the building yesterday. Shohei grabbed it when they brought you in, but we haven't been able to fix it."

"Well that's inconvenient." I muttered. "It's alright though. My watch doubles as a phone, so I still have all my contacts. The data stored on there is going to be hard to replace though."

The bell chimed and Mikoto came in. He walked over and took the seat next to mine, setting a small gift bag down on the counter.

"For you." He gently pushed it in front of me. I shot him a questioning glance. "Just open it, Rae."

I did as he said. Inside was a brand-new cell phone, a black case for it that had the HOMRA logo on it, and a giant key ring that was big enough I could wear it as a bracelet, with a cow charm and a single key on it. I turned the device on, surprised to find that everything from my PDA was already downloaded onto it.

"That has all the data from your PDA." Mikoto explained. "The case is so you don't break this one. That's a key for the bar."

_He even remembered how much I loved cows. _

"We can't make you stay here, Raven." Izumo said, leaning over the counter. "But you should know that you're welcome to come and go as you please."

"You really didn't have to do all of this." I mumbled. "The clothes, the phone, the key."

"It was all Mikoto." Tatara grinned. "He told us he had some things to do, but didn't say what."

"I guess I should say thanks." I said, smiling at Mikoto.

He turned his head away and scratched the back of his neck. I laughed at his embarrassment, but went back to eating my waffles when he glared at me.

"So scary." I teased around a mouthful of food.

Tatara joined in my laughter and soon we were joking around like old times. We spent the morning enjoying each other's company. They showed me pictures of everyone and said who was who. I was just glad that I had finally learned bowler hat guys name. Obviously Mikoto was the King. Izumo was his second in command, and Yata was third. He went by several different titles; Yatagarasu, HOMRA's vanguard, and the skateboarding captain, to name a few.

They kept asking me what I had been up to through the years, but I dodged the question. It wasn't exactly something I wanted to get into. Tatara showed me all of his knick-knacks that were scattered around the bar, including the old movie camera he had the night I saved his life. Izumo pretended to complain about Tatara's hobbies making his bar look like a mess, but I could tell he actually liked the way it looked. I helped clean the dishes after breakfast was finished, and then reorganized Izumo's liquor collection with him.

We were finishing up when my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and cursed.

"I'm sorry guys, I have to take this." I apologized, making my way out the door. "I'll be back in a sec." 

I waited until I was safely outside before answering.

"Hello?"

"_Are you insane?" _

"What are you talking about?"

"_HOMRA! Really, Raven? Of all the places you could be, you're with the Red King."_

"Do you have a tracker on me or something? How do you know where I am?"

"_Does it matter? How do you expect me to be your contact when you're with them?"_

"I don't understand what the big deal is."

"_What happens when you get a hit from me and someone in that clan sees my name? Or what if I call and someone there reads the caller ID?"_

"Would you chill? First of all, it's not like I'm staying here permanently. There were some complications with that last job you sent me on. Second, you're not saved under your own name in my phone. Even if someone saw the caller ID, they would have no idea it's you."

"_Tch. I hope you know what you're doing."_

"I appreciate the concern, but I'll be alright. And just for the record, I always know what I'm doing."

I ended the call, letting out a groan of exasperation, before going back inside. Mikoto had moved to the couch and his eyes followed me as I walked back to the bar. I sat down, running my hands through my hair.

"Everything alright?" Tatara asked.

"My contact was worried because I didn't report in last night." I lied. "He's a little, overbearing sometimes. But it's all good now."

Tatara seemed to buy it, but I could feel Mikoto staring at me. I turned and glared.

"Will you stop that?" I snapped. "If you have something to say, then say it."

He grinned without speaking a word, knowing it would piss me off. I growled and got back on my feet, crossing the room to where he sat. I stood directly in front of him, hands on my hips, and leaned over his face.

"What was that, Suoh?"

"I don't recall saying anything at all." He was testing my patience.

"You didn't have to, you smartass. Don't think for a second I can't still kick your ass."

His grin stretched into a slightly sadistic smile. In one swift motion he grabbed both of my wrists, pulling them behind my back, and maintained his hold with only one hand. With the other he grabbed my chin, keeping my body close to his, and got to his feet. I had to crane my neck back to look at his face, given there was a big difference between my five-foot-two and his six-foot-one.

"Mikoto?" Tatara stuttered.

"What was that, little girl?" the red king asked me. "You haven't seen my new power. I could burn you until there weren't even ashes left."

My own lips curled upward in a smile. I felt my heart rate increase, and I was certain Mikoto could feel it, considering how closely our bodies were pressed together. Every human has a fight or flight instinct, but I was different. It was always fight, and right now, I was dying to spar with him like we used to. No one I had taken on could even come close to the strength Mikoto possessed. Even before he became a king, he was incredibly skilled.

"Let's see it then."

I had no idea what he would have done if we hadn't been interrupted, but a group of clansmen came bursting in the doors. Yata was in the front, and I knew the moment he saw us that he had misinterpreted the situation.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked. "What did you do to Mr. Mikoto?"

"I told you she couldn't be trusted!" Shohei yelled from behind him.

It amazed me how angry they seemed to get. The situation probably didn't look all that great from their perspective, but still.

_Maybe they just have that much pride in their clan. That, or they really dislike outsiders? I said some pretty shitty things yesterday, but for them to be this paranoid is insane. Mikoto had a valid point, too. I could hold my own against him when we were younger, but he's a King now. I doubt he would have any problem taking me on. _

Mikoto released me and I took a few hasty steps back. Izumo and Tatara stepped between us and the now angry mob at the door.

"Calm down, Yata." Izumo said. "She didn't do anything." 

"She and Mikoto were just having some fun." Tatara added.

The young vanguard clicked his tongue in annoyance. He wasn't going to argue with his superiors, but it was obvious that he didn't agree with what they were telling him. I really didn't understand him. After our conversation last night, albeit brief, I thought he had dropped his hostility toward me. Apparently, I was wrong.

"Whatever." He scowled. "Have we got any work?"

He, along with the rest of the clansman, started talking with Izumo about different jobs that were available. It wasn't long before they were leaving again, and I watched most of them shoot dirty looks in my direction. The others, including Yata, completely ignored me.

"It's going to be alright."

I looked down to see Anna standing beside me. She had still been asleep upstairs, but I'm sure the noise of the crowd had woken her. I smiled as she went to stand with Mikoto. He took her hand, and they too exited the bar, leaving Izumo, Tatara, and myself.

"Well, Raven, what do you want to do today?" Tatara asked.

"I'm not sure." I checked my phone to see if there were any messages from my contact, but the screen was void of any new notifications. "I don't have any work to do at the moment. There are a few things I needed to do around my apartment, and I was serious about looking for a new place."

"I'd be more than happy to help you." He offered with a smile.

"I'm assuming you're going to stay here?" I asked, turning my attention to Izumo. "Someone has to be at the bar."

"Just call me if you need me. I'm sure Mikoto saved our numbers in your new phone."

After making sure he was right, Tatara and I started making our way across town to my apartment. We took what he called the scenic route so that he could show me some of the different places for rent. We agreed that we would actually tour a couple of them once we finished what I needed to do at home.

"This is such a nice place!" he exclaimed when we were inside. "But what's with the all the boxes?"

"I've been slowly packing things for the move." I explained. "I was hoping it would motivate me to find a new place faster."

"Are we going to finish packing here?" he asked. "It doesn't really look like that much is left."

He wasn't wrong. I had packed everything but the essentials. The only room that looked like someone actually lived there, was the bedroom.

"No, I just wanted to grab a few things to take back to Izumo's. I'll come back to finish packing once I actually find a new apartment. We won't be here long. I just need a few things." 

After instructing him what he needed to find for me, I pulled my duffel bag from the closet and got to work. I picked out some additional clothes, since I didn't know how long I would be at Izumo's, along with my laptop, headphones and the charger for them, and some different pairs of shoes. I was pulling my weapons box from under the bed when Tatara came back with the things I had asked him to get from the bathroom.

"What's that?"

"This is the real reason I wanted to come here." I grinned as I opened the container. "These are all of the weapons I use in combat. Depending on the mission I decide which one I need. The sniper rifle and bow are obviously for long range assassinations and such. I have arrows that do an assortment of things, too, like explode or inject the target with a numbing agent for easy capture. I keep the throwing knives on me at all times in these compartmentalized bracers that fit on my forearms. I lose a lot of them, so I keep a large stock like this."

"What about the pistols?"

"I don't use them much. I'm not really a fan of guns, to be honest. I know how to use them, but I prefer close hand to hand combat. The situation is easier for me to control."

"And the sword?"

I flinched as he reached out, pulling the saber from its cushioned slot. He ran his hands down the blue and gold sheath, then traced the design of the hilt. He gave me a questioning look as he pulled the blade out.

"Raven? Where did you get this?"

"It was a gift from my contact." I grabbed it from him and carefully made sure everything was tucked in its appropriate place, before closing the box. "Come on. I've got everything that I need." 

He didn't say anything, but followed me out of the apartment, pausing as I locked the door behind us. I had a bad habit of leaving my keys, so I had made sure to grab them from the countertop. He insisted on carrying the weapon crate, since it was heavier, and the duffel bag could be worn like a backpack. As we looked at different apartments, he stayed uncharacteristically quiet. He would state his opinion as I asked for it, but didn't offer anything up on his own.

After a two or three hours of silent house shopping, I had found a few that I liked. I wanted to get Izumo's opinion on them before making any final decisions though. I had only stayed one night at the bar, so I hadn't had any real time to interact with the clansmen. If I was going to move as close as some of those apartments were, I wanted to make sure I got along with Mikoto's people. I kept telling myself that I didn't really care if they liked me all that much, but I knew how hard it would make things if they hated me.

_Mikoto is their leader. If he's spending time with someone they can't trust, they'll feel like they can't trust him either. His clan will fall apart. I can't act selfishly here._

I shook my head, refusing to dwell on negative things. I checked my watch, the time reading three in the afternoon.

_Damn, I didn't realize we had been out for so long. _

"Hey Tatara, do you want to get some lunch?" I asked. "There's this really good ramen place right down the street."

"That sounds fine." He smiled, but his voice was monotoned and lacked real interest.

"Tatara, what's wrong?" I stepped in front of him, my hands on my hips. "You've been like this since we left my house."

"It's nothing." His smile never faltering. "I think I'm just hungry. Let's eat, okay?"

I rolled my eyes and shrugged, turning to lead the way. He made an effort to talk as we ate, asking questions about my past, and what I liked to do in my free time. He seemed to cheer up some, and by the time we left, he was laughing and acting normal. I couldn't tell if he was faking it, or if it was genuine. I chose not to ask, and let myself enjoy the company as we walked back to the bar. Everything was going alright until we reached the front steps. He stopped short of going in the door, blocking my path as well. He turned with his head down.

"Raven." He looked up to meet my eyes, a serious expression on his face. "Where did you really get that sword?"

"Tatara, I told you. It was a gift from my contact." I offered a small smile of assurance. "I wouldn't lie."

"Then why did you get so nervous when I asked about it?"

The smile fell from my lips and I felt my defenses raising. I didn't like where his questions were going. Tatara was a nice guy, and I knew that he wouldn't pry into something unless he felt it was necessary. I wished that I could tell him not worry, but in this particular instance, he had valid reason to interrogate me the way he was. He had incredible intuition.

_Shit. What the hell do I do? I can't keep avoiding his questions forever, but I can't give him an answer he'll believe either. If I tell him the truth, it could ruin everything I'm trying to do by staying here. If I lie to him, it would be even worse. What the fuck am I supposed to do right now?_

I realized too late that I still hadn't answered his question. When I opened my mouth to respond, he was already asking something else.

"Are you working for Scepter 4?"


	6. Short PSA (Not a Chapter)

Hello everyone!

It feels so good to be back!

Thank you so much for being patient with me as I rework this story! I'm going to try and update once a week, but with a full-time job it might be a little difficult.

I wanted to use this brief insert to ask how everyone is enjoying the story. I love feedback, whether its praise or criticism, because it helps me grow.

Should the chapters be longer? I feel like they go by too fast.

Is there too much action per chapter? Should I focus a little more on character development?

Please share your thoughts with me!

An update is on its way, so hang tight to see how Raven, Mikoto, and the gang fair in the next part! In the meantime, go check out some other authors and show your love to them! I'll be back soon!

Much love, thelittlekeeton.

P.S. People still like grapes


	7. Fire

Welcome back guys!

Thank you all again for taking the time to read my story! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Small disclaimer, I do not own the rights to K, or any of the characters, places, or themes mentioned in this story other than Raven Akashi.

With that said, let's dive right in to the next adventure of Raven and the red clan!

"Raven, where do you want this coffee table?"

I stuck my head around the corner, shooting Izumo an incredulous look.

"In the living room. Where else would you put it?" I rolled my eyes. "And, hey! Tell Mikoto that if he's just going to sit on the couch and not actually help, he can go back to the bar. I really want to get this finished today."

I didn't wait around to hear his response. I had a lot of things to do and only so much time to do them. It had been twelve days since I started staying at bar HOMRA and I had finally found my new place. It took two days just to get all my stuff packed up and moved over, and if things kept moving at a slow pace, it was going to take another two to get it unpacked. I had commissioned the help of Izumo, Mikoto, Tatara, Anna, and a couple of the clansmen, Chitose and Kosuke. The two of them had really taken to me over the last few days. It wasn't saying much for Chitose. He was a serious womanizer. Kosuke was different though. Tatara described him as the guy that 'brings lost animals home,' so it was only natural he would take to me. I wasn't sure I liked that assessment, but I appreciated the help nonetheless.

With the exception of the bedroom, everything was out of the boxes, and there were only two left in there. It was just a matter of arranging things and decorating the way I wanted to. My original intent had been to rent for a little longer, but Tatara found this three-bedroom house up for foreclosure, and I couldn't pass it up. It was located only two blocks from the bar and had a large yard with a privacy fence.

Once I was certain the boys were actually working and not goofing off, I went back to my bedroom. The furniture was in place, clothes were in the closet, and the bathroom had it's supplies and decorations. The boxes that remained contained books, knick-knacks, and other miscellaneous items that didn't have to be opened yet.

"Raven!" Chitose called my name from the guest bedroom. "I'm finished here!"

"Go help Izumo." I ordered.

I walked into the hallway, going to check on Kosuke in the third bedroom. He was turning it into an art studio for me. I popped my head in the door, only for my jaw to hit the floor. It was completely finished, with shelves and cabinets going all the way around. Everything was clearly labeled, and the closet had been turned into a drying area for paintings.

"Yo, Kosuke." I smiled at him as I entered the living room. "That room looks amazing!"

"No problem, Rae." He smiled back. "Glad you like it."

"Where did Mikoto go?"

"He and Anna are finishing the office. Mr. Kusanagi and Tatara should be about done with the kitchen."

"We are!" Tatara grinned, his head peaking over the top of the island. "It looks like you're going to be able to stay in your new place tonight."

About the time he said that, Mikoto joined us, with Anna right beside him. He gave me a simple thumbs up as his way of saying they were finished. I checked the clock on the kitchen wall.

"It's only four in the afternoon." I stretched and smiled, happy that we completed our tasks. "We made great time."

"That's because you worked us like a slave driver." Izumo scoffed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were the King of this clan, not Mikoto."

"Come on." I started walking to the door. "Now that we're done here, we can actually go relax."

As we started our short journey to the bar, I made small talk with Tatara about the house. I had been worried about him for a couple of days after that conversation we'd had regarding my sword. After a couple days of awkward silence and avoiding each other, he finally approached me one morning as I was eating breakfast. We had a relatively long talk about how he knew that he had been selfish in prying for information that I wasn't willing to give. I in turn apologized for keeping secrets from him along with the rest of the clan. I still hadn't disclosed the information to him, but he was okay with that. He said that I would tell him when the time was right. I had no idea when exactly that would be, but I wasn't concerned with it.

When we walked into the bar, we were welcomed by the clansmen that were lingering inside. I even heard my name mixed in, and it made me happy. Once Tatara and I had patched things up between us, the rest of the clan had started to get along with me better. They still tensed up whenever I took calls from my contact, but I no longer received the same hurtful comments or dirty looks that I used to when I would step out. I had learned everyone's name, with the exception of the low-ranking members that never really came around unless they were taking a big mission. I had gone on a few jobs with Rikio and Yata, much to the beanie clad vanguards annoyance.

I didn't know why, but he was very against me being around still. Izumo tried to assure me that it was just because I was a girl, and Yata didn't like females getting involved in things like this. He wasn't a misogynist or anything like that, he was just raised to treat women right. I didn't necessarily believe that was the only reason, but I rarely had the chance to ask Yata himself what his deal was. If I came in the same room as him, he would make it a point to leave. The only true interaction I got with him was when we were on a job. I couldn't exactly talk about personal matters then.

"Hey Raven, come here a sec." Chitose was calling me over to the booth he had occupied with Kosuke and Eric.

"What's up guys?" I asked, crossing my arms on the tabletop.

"We were wondering something." Eric piped up. "How old are you?"

"Huh?" I blinked in surprise. "I'm twenty-five. Why do you ask?"

"So, Mr. Mikoto and Mr. Kusanagi are older than you."

"Yea, by two years. I still want to know why you're asking."

"You seem a lot younger." Kosuke mumbled. "We thought that you were like, a little kid when you met the King."

"Are you saying I look young, or that I act young?" I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Both." They all said at the same time.

"Are you calling me immature?" I asked. "I swear I'll kick your ass."

They laughed and I demanded to know what was so funny. My being clueless was even funnier to them, so I flipped the bird and started to turn away. They tried to get my attention as I walked over to the bar to sit next to Tatara.

"What exactly do you fuckers want?" I glared at them from my barstool. "If you're going to insult me again, just save your breath."

"We're sorry, Rae." Chitose said. "It's just that you remind us more and more of someone we know."

"And who, exactly, would that be?"

"Can you guys shut the fuck up?" We all turned to see Yata coming down the stairs. "Some of us have actually been working and need some damn sleep."

Upon his arrival, the guys started laughing all over again. It was then that I realized what they were trying to say, and why they asked my age. A blush crept over my face and I clenched my fists on the countertop.

_You have got to be kidding me. They really think that I act like Yata? I know I've got a short temper and all, but he takes it to a whole other level. I'm nowhere near as bad as he is._

"What the hell is so funny?" Yata asked, having no idea what was going on.

"Yata, how old are you again?" Kosuke fought to ask through his laughter.

"Why are you asking?" He pulled his beanie off and ran his hands through his thick chestnut hair. "I'm too tired for all this shit."

"Come on, Yata." Chitose begged. "We just want to know."

"I'm twenty-three."

Apparently, everyone in the bar had caught on to what Chitose was hinting at, because the room filled with laughter. Even Mikoto shot a grin my way. Yata looked lost as he slid his beanie back on. He mumbled something under his breath and climbed on the barstool next to mine. I looked at him wide-eyed.

_Is he so tired he doesn't realize he's sitting next to me?_

"I don't know what's so damn funny." He grumbled, turning so his back was to the bar. "I just said how old I was."

From the other side of me, I heard Tatara inhale, like he was about to explain. I slapped my hand over his mouth, giving the most intimidating glare I could muster.

"If any of you value your lives, you'll shut the hell up." My eyes were on Tatara, but the entire room fell silent. "And leave Yata out of it if you're not even going to tell him what the hell's going on."

"Hey!" Yata scowled. "Are you trying to say I'm too stupid to understand what's going on or something?"

"No, you dumbass." I started to say, but he raised his voice over mine.

"Cause no one asked you to stick your nose in our business here in the first place." He clicked his tongue in annoyance and looked away. "I was actually trying to be nice to you, too. I'm out of here."

Before anyone could stop him, he had grabbed his skateboard from beside the door and left. I groaned, letting my head fall back.

_What the hell is this guy's problem? Why does he hate me so much?_

"He doesn't hate you." Mikoto said as he walked up to me.

"Oh, I didn't realize I had spoken out loud." I mumbled.

"You didn't. I just know what you're thinking." He grabbed my wrist and pulled me off my stool. I turned to ask why he did that, but he pushed me toward the door. "If you don't make him talk, he never will."

"With all due respect Mikoto, I'm going to kick his ass if he keeps acting like such a child." I growled.

"Then you have my permission as King to do just that." He grinned and took my seat. "Now go. I'm sure you won't have any issues finding him."

I rolled my eyes, but did as he said. I stepped out into the cool night air, listening for any nearby noise. Being a strain gave me heightened senses, so it was easy to pick out the sound of Yata's skateboard on the pavement. He wasn't far ahead. I started following the sound, hoping that I would catch up to him soon.

After around thirty minutes of walking, I still hadn't caught up to him. I looked around and realized that I was coming up on a park close to my old apartment. I also noticed that I could no longer hear his skateboard.

_Well shit. What the hell am I supposed to do now?_

I paced around in circles, trying to hear any movement, but didn't pick up on anything. I was about to give up when I finally heard something. It was close by. On the far end down a hill was a large skatepark. I looked down and saw Yata doing tricks and flips, the flames of the red clan streaming behind him. He was incredibly talented. I sat in the grass and watched him. At one point he got frustrated because he couldn't land a trick. I could hear him curse as he yanked his beanie off and pulled his sweater over his head, leaving him in a black tank top. I didn't want to interrupt him. It seemed clear to me that he was blowing off steam. Eventually he laid down at the top of what looked to be an empty swimming pool, his board and discarded clothes in a pile off to the side. I figured that was as good a time as any to go talk to him. He must have heard me coming down the hill because just before I reached him, he sat up, his feet dangling over the edge. I stopped a couple feet away and sat in the same manner as him. I leaned back on my palms, looking up at the sky.

"What did I do to make you hate me so much?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"W-what the hell?" he stuttered. "What makes you think I hate you?"

"Come on, Yata. You won't even stay in the same room as me. Plus, the two missions I've gone on with you and Rikio, you wouldn't even talk to me."

"I don't hate you." From the corner of my eye I could see him blush. "I just don't know how to deal with you."

"What does that even mean? I get that you're not the best with girls or whatever. Izumo has explained that much to me. But that's the total opposite of the way you treat me. One minute your pissed off at the guys for being mean to me, then the next your yelling at me. You'll blush and act all embarrassed, but you have no problem shooting death glares at me when your pissed."

"It's complicated, alright? I don't know how to explain it."

"You can at least try!" I yelled, turning my body towards him. "I'm doing my best to get along with everyone because I'm happy to be back in Mikoto's life. It's really hard to do that when their fucking captain avoids me at all costs. Dewa even told me that he would have talked to me a lot sooner if you didn't act the way you do."

"I'm not trying to make things hard for you. It's just that you remind me of someone that really fucking pisses me off."

"How so?" He was silent for a minute. "I don't need you to be fucking best buds with me or anything. I just want to understand."

He groaned and rolled his neck, clearly struggling with himself. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs.

"I had this friend in school. He was my only friend really. We did a lot of shit together, including joining HOMRA. Mr. Mikoto basically saved us from a life on the streets. He offered us a home with people we could trust. But one day that fucking money betrayed me and the rest of HOMRA. He went and joined the fucking blues of all people."

"You mean Scepter 4?"

"Yea. I tried to remind him of his pride, of the commitment he made to Mr. Mikoto. But that damn monkey didn't give a shit. He turned his back on our people. He walked away like it was fucking nothing to him. When you told us your story, I couldn't help but compare it to him."

"You think I abandoned Mikoto and Izumo, that I betrayed them."

"It's hard not to. I get why you left and all that shit, but he needed you."

"You're right." I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "In a way, I did abandon him. Being a king was new to him. The only people he had were Izumo and Tatara to help him control himself. That's why I hadn't come back. I wasn't ready to face him. For years I had been so sure that he hated me. That's the difference between me and your friend. I knew I fucked up, and I wanted to apologize for a long time. I just didn't know how. Now that I'm back, I want to make things right."

He didn't say anything for a while. I wasn't sure myself what needed to be said next. What did I really expect out of him? I crossed my legs and waited, knowing that it was up to him to continue the conversation.

"I'm sorry." I looked over and he was looking right at me, while blushing furiously. "Like I said before, I'm not great with girls. I kind of just avoid them. I realized a while ago that you're not like that damn monkey, but I didn't know how to apologize for being an asshole. It was easier to just keep avoiding you than to try and talk to you."

"It's alright." I smiled, and looked at my feet. "I don't expect any of you to treat me like I'm a member of your clan. I'm just an old friend of Mikoto's. I understand why you would be hesitant of me."

"Mr. Mikoto trusts you. So does Mr. Kusanagi and Tatara. As long as you don't end up betraying them for real, then I don't see why you can't be a fucking part of HOMRA."

"I don't know if I want that." He looked like he was offended by my statement, so I backtracked. "Not that it hasn't been great getting to know everyone. It really is like a big family. I've just got a lot of my own shit to deal with. It wouldn't be fair to bring that along with me."

"Isn't that what family is for? Most people in HOMRA don't have anywhere else to go or anyone else to be with. I'm one of the few that actually has a real family I still get along with."

"I guess."

"Listen, I know I was a fucking ass, but that doesn't mean you have to be on your own. I already told you that I don't hate having you around, and none of the guys do either."

"Are you saying that you want me to stay?" I grinned, teasing him a little.

"I-I mean, Mr. Mikoto is happy with you around." He mumbled, his cheeks deep red.

I laughed, finally feeling relaxed around him. He scowled, getting to his feet. He grabbed his sweater off the ground and put it back on, mumbling under his breath about trying to be serious. I stood as well, snatching his beanie before he could pick it up, a smirk on my face.

"Aw, come on, Yata." I twirled the cap on my index finger. "Don't get all shy on me now. We were finally bonding."

"Then don't make fun of me!" He tried to take the beanie from me, but I moved out of his reach.

"I wasn't, I swear." The look on his face told me that he didn't believe me. "How about we start over? You're a really important part of HOMRA. If I'm going to consider Mikoto's offer of joining, there doesn't need to be any bad blood between me and the skateboarding captain, right?"

"Yea, I think I can deal with that." He stood up straight, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'm glad." I walked over and placed his beanie against his chest.

He slid it back on, tucking his hair off to the sides. He stomped on one end up his board, flipping it around so that he didn't have to bend over to pick it up.

"You're really good on that thing." I nodded to the skateboard. "Did you teach yourself?"

"Yea, a long time ago."

"I've always wanted to learn, but I never got around to it."

"I could teach you." He offered, looking away from me. "It's not really that hard."

"Seriously? That would be awesome!" I grinned up at him, a smile forming on his own face.

I didn't catch on at first, but after a while I was able to ride around with ease. He always offered to help me up when I fell, but I refused. He learned just how stubborn I was. He used a lot of technical terms when describing the board itself, the ramps we were skating on, and the names of the tricks we were trying to do. After he explained each one, he would show it to me. I would try to copy him, only to fail, which he thought was hilarious. I flipped him the bird more than once, which made him laugh more. It was obvious that whatever negative feelings he had toward me before were long gone.

The sun had been down for a while when his cell watch rang. It was Izumo calling to make sure we were alright. After Yata assured him we were fine, he promised that he would bring me back soon and for them not to worry about us.

"I guess that means we have to end our fun." I pretended to pout.

"We'll come back out soon." He promised. "You caught on pretty quick."

"Don't lie to me. All I can do is roll around. I can't do any cool tricks."

"I'm not lying! You just need more practice."

He let me ride on the way back. Since I couldn't move very fast, he was easily able to walk beside me. We kept up an easy conversation, talking about whatever came to mind. I could tell that he was still unsure of how he should act around me now that there was nothing to distract him, but I did my best to fuck around with him whenever I could. I wasn't trying to act overly friendly with him or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure he realized that I bore no grudge against him for how he had treated me. I had meant it when I said I wanted to get along with him. Yata seemed like a really great guy. He had a lot of respect for Mikoto, and even more pride for his clan.

He told me about his mom and how she had raised him to act the way he does. He said she's the reason he doesn't handle girls well. He asked me about my family, to which I responded that I couldn't remember anything about them. I told him about some of the shit that Mikoto, Izumo, and I would get into as kids. We didn't even realize we had made it back to the bar until we reached the steps. We walked in laughing at some story he had told me involving Rikio and his summer weight.

"I take it you two worked out your differences?"

We both looked up, smiles still on our faces, to see Izumo grinning at us over the counter. The rest of the guys were looking at us as well. I could sense Yata tense up next to me and I mentally rolled my eyes.

"That's what you wanted, right?" I put a hand on my hip, challenging anyone to say something. "We're cool now. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all, my Queen." Chitose smirked from his booth. "I just can't believe you would spend more time with him than us. Personally, I think I would make much better company."

Before I could blink, Yata had crossed the room to punch the blonde womanizer in the head.

"Don't be such a fucking pervert."

"Cut him some slack, Yata." Tatara spoke up, forever acting as the peacekeeper.

"He needs to quit being such a fucking creep! He's going to scare her off."

"I think I can handle Chitose." I laughed. "I won't leave because of him."

"Raven, that reminds me." Izumo called. "I think Mikoto wanted to talk with you."

I looked over to where the man in question was stretched out on the couch with Anna asleep on his leg. He opened one eye and waved his hand in a summoning motion. I walked over to him, stopping beside the coffee table.

"What's up, Mikoto?" I asked.

"I want you to stay." He stood in front of me, towering once again over my small frame.

"I already told you I'm not planning on going anywhere."

"No. I want you to be my clansman." He looked me right in the eyes. "I've never asked anyone before."

"Mikoto. I, I don't know if that's the best idea. There's still so much I haven't been able to tell you. Some of it you might hate me for."

"If you're talking about your contact, we already know who it is." I whipped my head around to look at Izumo. "I overheard one of your calls. If you choose to stay here as a member, we expect it to stop. It would be a conflict of interest. But if you stay as only a friend, it's your choice who you take your jobs from. We won't hold it against you, and you don't have to tell the others. We won't."

"This is my choice, as King. My minds made up." I looked back at Mikoto, unsure of what to do. "Please don't make me ask again. It's really not my style."

"Is there some kind of initiation?" I asked.

"It's easy." Mikoto held out his hand. "Take it."

I was certain the expression on my face was beyond confused. I found myself glancing over at Yata, who looker nervous for some reason.

_It's now or never. Is this really what I want?_

I took a deep breath and reached for his hand, only to stop short as it became engulfed in flames. My eyes widened in shock. Was he trying to burn me?

"The flames choose who's worthy to be a part of the red clan." Tatara explained. "They won't burn you if they pick you."

"And if they don't?" I muttered.

No one answered. That was enough for me to mentally say fuck it, and took hold of Mikoto's hand. As soon as our skin touched the fire grew to swallow the both of us. It raced across my skin, leaving the most pleasant warmth in its wake. I closed my eyes, reveling in the heat. It was similar to the warmth I had felt two weeks ago when the apartment job went wrong, only this was a million times more euphoric. The heat settled just above my collarbone. At this point it began to sear my skin. I hissed in pain, certain that I had failed the test. After what felt like eternity, the burning stopped. All that was left was an incredibly warm sensation coursing through my body.

I opened my eyes as Mikoto released my hand. He was smiling down at me. I had passed.

"Welcome to the family."

Cheers erupted around me. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I had a family again.

"So, where's your mark?" Rikio asked.

"Huh?" I looked at him with a lost expression. "I thought your clan mark was a tattoo."

"It's more like a brand." Chitose said, filling me in. "It marks you for life."

"Just like a real fire, it has a mind of its own, too." Izumo added. "I'm sure you've noticed, but everyone here has a partner, or people that they always work with. The fire chooses them for you." 

"What do you mean?" I asked, still confused.

"Someone in the clan has the insignia in the same spot as you." Yata explained, with a grim look on his face. "The power of the red clan sort of reads your mind, to see who you would match with. That's your new partner. No one is ever by themselves."

"Okay, I understand now. How do I know where my mark is?"

"Take your shirt off." Mikoto ordered.

"Mr. Mikoto?!" Yata gasped.

"And you called me the pervert." Chitose smirked.

"Calm down." I rolled my eyes as I did what my new King had told me to. "I'm wearing a tank top. Fucking children."

Once the material was over my head, Mikoto reached out to move my hair out of the way. He ran his fingers across my collarbone, relatively close to my throat. I looked down and could barely see the bottom of the black and red fiery insignia sticking out darkly against my pale skin.

"Go figure." Chitose mumbled. "You would get paired with him."

"Who?" I looked around, expecting someone to step forward.

"The only person who doesn't have a partner anymore." Tatara spoke softly, his eyes cutting across the room. "Yata."

I glanced between Mikoto and the young vanguard in question, not really sure what I was supposed to do. Yata walked over to where I was standing and stared at the new mark on my skin. He looked almost sad.

"Yata." I whispered. "Are you okay with this? It's alright if not. I can work on my own. I'm used to it."

"No." he shook his head. "I can't believe I have a partner again."

He looked up at me, tears in his eyes, but a smile on his lips. I smiled back, knowing how hard it was for him. He had been working by himself ever since his friend left HOMRA. Of all the clansmen that had joined between then and now, none of them matched with him. Sure, he was surrounded by his family, but he didn't have someone to stay close to, someone that would always watch his back. He held his fist out, grinning like an idiot as tears rolled down his cheeks. I felt myself start to cry, and I couldn't hold back the choked laugh that came out as I bumped my fist into his.

"Hell yeah!" he cheered, pumping his arm into the air. "We're going to kick fucking ass together!"

"You're a good fit for him." Mikoto said, patting me on top of the head. "You two are just alike."

"Thank you, Mikoto." I wrapped my arms around his waist. "I won't let you down again. I swear."

Izumo offered everyone a round of drinks in celebration of my joining, which we all gladly accepted. Many jokes were made about me being the only girl. I reminded everyone more than once that I had kicked Bando's ass. He even admitted that the only reason they technically won that fight was because I fell off a building. Izumo made everyone a late-night dinner and I could have cried all over again. We all drank way too much, and it was well into the early hours of the morning when people started to fall asleep. Being one of the few that was actually sober enough to function, I helped Yata grab some blankets from upstairs to cover everyone. Mikoto carried Anna upstairs to her room, then went in his own to sleep.

"Rae, are you planning on staying here?" Izumo asked.

"It looks a little crowded." I spoke around a yawn. "I should be fine to walk home. It's only a couple of blocks."

"I'd feel better if you stayed here. You too, Yata." He grabbed the young captain's collar, preventing him from walking toward the door. "The two of you can stay in the lounge."

I was too tired to protest, so we all went upstairs after making sure the doors were locked and the lights were off. Izumo said goodnight as he went past us to his room. Inside the lounge was a large, three-sided sectional, plenty big enough for the two of us to fit on. I grabbed a blanket and curled up on one end, using the armrest as a pillow. I glanced at Yata, who was tossing his beanie, sweaters, and tank top onto the floor, leaving him bare-chested. I blushed and looked away.

"Hey Raven." He called as he crawled under his own blanket on the opposite end. "I want you to know that I really am sorry."

"It's alright, Yata." I assured him. "You don't have to keep apologizing."

"We're going to start your training tomorrow, so get some sleep."

"Way ahead of you." I paused to yawn again. "Goodnight Yata."

"Goodnight Rae."


	8. Things Are Getting Messy

**Hello everyone!**

**I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this update done!**

**There were some things that happened last week that had to take priority. **

**However, with that being said, I am back with a much longer chapter for you guys to enjoy! **

**Small PSA: Please bear in mind that while this story follows the timeline, it does not follow ALL of the events from the series. Not every character will act the exact same way they do in the anime. This is my story and how I want the events to unfold with my OC. If you think someone is acting very OOC, I left out a very important piece of information, or anything like that, feel free to let me know, but don't be rude about it. K?**

**Anyhoo! Now that that is out of the way, let's get on the story! Hope you enjoy! **

My mind raced to keep up with everything that was going on. It was hot and the smell of smoke wafted around me. Sweat was rolling down my body, making my clothes stick to me in very uncomfortable ways. My ponytail had fallen down for the millionth time and I struggled to pull it back up.

"Raven!" Yata called from across the vacant parking lot. "You have to control it."

"Don't you think I'm fucking trying!" I screamed.

The fire swirling around me responded to the rise in my anger, growing in intensity. Yata, Tatara, and Izumo had been out here with me since the early hours of the morning. They were trying to teach me how to control the power of the red clan. At first, I didn't think it would be that hard. After all, I had an assortment of abilities as a strain that I had to keep in check. Izumo hadn't been lying when he said that HOMRAs fire had a mind of its own. I had to remain calm and force the flames to do what I told them. It was completely different from any of my own latent abilities.

I had realized quickly that the fire was easily fueled by emotion. Unfortunately for me, I had a very short temper. The longer we had been out here, the more frustrated I had grown. I was currently trying to get the flames to go out. I just couldn't understand how Tatara could make fiery butterflies, or how Izumo could use a whip of flame. So far, all I could do was summon it, and that only worked once I got pissed off. The fact that I was in a tank top and shorts in the middle of December, yet somehow still sweating, pissed me off even more.

I took a deep breath, focusing all my will power on putting the flames out. They dimmed and flickered, but still didn't go away. I threw my hands up in the air.

"What the hell am I doing wrong?" I started pacing in circles, wishing I had something to punch.

"You're not doing anything wrong." Tatara assured me. "It just takes a lot of practice as well as a strong mind."

"Then I must be really fucking weak minded because we've been at this for hours and I still haven't made any progress!" I stomped for emphasis and the ground cracked under my feet. "Sure, I can actually use the power, but I can't control it. I can't even make it go away."

"You're trying to force it to much." Izumo said.

I shot a glare his way, noticing that Mikoto had walked up with Anna right beside him. That only made me feel more pressured. He instructed Anna to stay with Tatara, while he walked over to where I was standing. As he crossed the asphalt, he activated his sanctum, the sword of Damocles manifesting itself in the air. I couldn't help but stare in awe. With the sword over his head and scorching flames circling his body, he looked like a total badass. He smirked, noticing that I couldn't seem to look away, and I felt my face flush. Once he reached me, he held his hand out. As soon as I took it, the fire around me dwindled away, almost like he had pulled it back to him.

Now that the flames were gone, I could feel the cool air biting at my skin. I shivered as the sweat on my skin began to dry. I noticed that my anger was gone, too. I was still annoyed, but I didn't feel like destroying everything around me anymore.

"There's a story that the power of the red clan can drive the user mad, whether it be the king or the clansmen." Mikoto spoke, fire dancing around him. "I don't believe it, but I know the fire burns hotter when I'm angry. It's easy to lose control."

"So, you're telling me that _it _can control _me_?" I asked.

"You were hot, weren't you?" he answered my question with another question.

"Well, yea. It's fire. Isn't it supposed to be hot?" 

"Not to the clansmen." He shook his head. "It didn't feel hot when you shook my hand, and you're not hot right now, even though you're standing so close to me."

"I understand now, but that doesn't help me control it." I frowned. "Am I doing something wrong, Mikoto?"

"Not at all." He smiled down at me. "You're Yata's partner for a reason. You're both incredibly stubborn and short tempered. He's the best person to teach you."

He took a few steps back, nodding at Yata to come over to us.

"I want you to fight her." Mikoto ordered him. "Don't hold back."

"Are you sure, Mr. Mikoto?" Yata asked our king.

"It worked for you." Izumo answered for him. He turned his attention to me. "There's a reason Yatagarasu is our vanguard. He's the best fighter we have. Fight like you normally would and let your new power help you out on its own. If you do that, you won't even realize your using it."

I nodded, getting myself ready. I knew sparring with Yata would be a challenge, but I couldn't help the pout I shot in Mikoto's direction. If he was going to make me fight, he could at least be the one I was fighting. He raised his eyebrow back at me and I shook my head, forcing my attention away from him. I adjusted the bracers holding my knives and tightened the laces on my shoes. When I straightened up, Yata had started skating around me on his board. As he twirled his staff around, flames began to form on each end of the metal rod and spark behind him. I bent my knees, sliding my right foot back a little. I followed him with my eyes as he continued circling me.

"You heard him." he grinned. "Nothing personal, but I won't lose!"

With that, he charged, swinging his weapon toward me with full force. Even knowing it was coming, I barely had time to dodge out of the way. I could feel the warmth of the flames as they flew past my cheek.

_Damn, he's so fucking fast. _

He swung wide, gathering even more speed to come at me again. He kept up a steady barrage of attacks. I couldn't do much more than side-step out of the way. This was the first time I had seen Yata fight, so I was taking it all in, trying to learn as much as I could. He used his board and staff as extensions of himself, skillfully maneuvering in ways that I didn't think possible. I studied his movements, looking for any opening that he may have left.

He landed a few hits when I wasn't paying close enough attention. One got me in the shoulder that Shohei had busted open, and I dropped to one knee in pain. I half expected him to stop and ask if I was alright, but instead he continued the fight. He sent the end of the metal rod scraping across my cheek, and I felt my frustration starting to grow. The next time he came at me, I was ready, dropping my shoulder at the last second, pushing all my weight into tackling him off the board. We rolled across the ground, coming to a stop a few feet away from each other.

I immediately went in for an attack, not giving him time to balance himself. He had dropped his staff when we fell, so it was hand to hand combat. I managed to get a few cheap shots in. He wasn't holding back, so I didn't feel bad about it when one of my kicks went a little below the belt. I was putting more force into my punches, trying to wear him down. He was grinning at me, knowing that he still had the upper hand, and it pissed me off.

"You have to stay calm, Rae." Izumo yelled from somewhere off to the side.

I didn't bother responding. Even though this was just training, I hated losing. Yata got a hit on my face, and I stumbled back. Suddenly my body grew hot, and I was moving without thinking. His eyes went wide at my burst of speed. I didn't know where this energy had come from, but I took advantage of it. His grin from earlier turned into a frown. I noticed that his flames had grown in intensity and my heart rate quickened in response. We went back and forth, neither of us gaining the upper hand. I flipped back, slinging my throwing knives toward his feet. A wall of fire shot up from where they had stuck in the ground, stopping him from moving any closer to me. Yata stumbled back away from the fire, and I used the opportunity to charge at him. He managed to dodge, but as my feet hit the ground I dropped into a low crouch, spinning my body around with one leg out to knock him off his feet. He landed on his back and I straddled his hips, quickly pinning his wrists to the ground with my knees. I flicked a knife from my bracer and leaned down, pressing the side of the blade to his throat. He made an annoyed sound, but didn't try to fight back, so I took that to mean I had won.

"Good job, Raven!" Tatara exclaimed, coming over to us. "I can't believe you got the best of Yata."

"Neither can I." I sighed, letting my body relax.

"C-can you get off now?" Yata asked, a blush creeping along his face.

"Oh, yea, I'm sorry." I mumbled, turning to sit out on the ground next to him. "I don't see how that helped though. Don't get me wrong. It was fun and I learned a lot about how you fight, Yata. But in the end, I still wasn't able to use the fire."

"What are you talking about?" Tatara waved his hands for effect. "You've been using our clan's power, and really well I might add."

"Since when?" I asked.

"Since you tackled Yata the first time." Izumo answered. He, Mikoto, and Anna had walked over, carrying a couple bottles of water. "Do you remembering noticing any kind of change?"

"I couldn't say exactly when it happened, but I know I started to feel hot at some point." I took a few large gulps of water before continuing. "My body sort of started moving on its own. I was a lot faster, too. I assumed it was my own power as a strain."

"The wall of fire shooting from your knives didn't give it away?" Yata asked while laughing.

"I wasn't thinking about it at the time!" I shoved his shoulder. "It was all I could do to keep up with you. I didn't exactly have the luxury of paying attention to all the small details."

"You're fucking strong. The only real advantage I had over you was my speed when I was skating. I can tell that you're used to only fighting the same types of opponents though."

"You're not wrong." I sighed, leaning back on my hands. "Most of the people I get hits for are either inexperienced with hand to hand combat, or normal citizens with no training. I've gotten caught up with a few that have given me trouble in the past, but not many. I haven't been able to practice with anyone much."

"Don't worry about that." Yata grinned. He got to his feet, reaching a hand down to help me up. "We're going to keep training. You might even be as good as me one day."

"Yea, sure." I rolled my eyes as he pulled me to my feet. "At least now I know that I can use our power. I just have to learn to control it."

"Be patient." Mikoto smiled, placing his hand on my shoulder. "It's been one day. You did great."

I smiled back, happy to have earned my King's praise. We all agreed that it was time for a well-deserved break, so we decided to head out for some food. Yata insisted that I wear the red sweater he usually kept tied around his waist, because if not I would get sick. I tried to argue, saying that I really wasn't that cold, but then Mikoto said if I didn't take it, he would make me wear his jacket. I couldn't exactly make my King walk around like that, so I reluctantly pulled Yata's sweater over my head. It was way too big for me, coming down over the bottom of my shorts and hanging off one shoulder. I tugged it to the left so that my HOMRA insignia was on display. With no makeup, my hair in a high ponytail, and the oversized sweater, I was certain that I looked like a little kid.

Tatara ended up picking the restaurant. It was a smaller place that only had a few tables, and the walls were covered with pictures of previous customers. The food was incredibly delicious, much to my surprise. We hung around for a while, talking about ways that I could practice on my own. In the middle of our conversation, everyone's phone rang, including Yata's cell watch and my own. Izumo had linked my devices to get the same notifications as the rest of the clan earlier that morning. I lifted my wrist to look at the holographic image. It was a photo of a young, white-haired boy holding a red umbrella. He looked eerily similar to the guy that had shot Tatara.

"What the hell?" Yata growled, getting to his feet. He quickly dialed a number, waiting for the receiver to pick up. "Where was this taken? I'm on my way."

"Yata, slow down." Izumo ordered. "I think everyone needs to be meet up and discuss this first."

"The hell with that!" He slammed his fist on the table. "I'm not letting that bastard get away."

"Maybe you should listen to Mr. Kusanagi." Tatara suggested. "Even if you raced over there right now, there's no guarantee that he'll still be there. Let's just go back to the bar and figure out what to do next."

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, his fists still clenched. He didn't run off though, so we paid our bill and started our walk to the bar. Izumo sent a message to everyone telling them what we were doing. By the time we arrived, it was total chaos inside. Everyone was fired up, arguing about what we should be doing. I had found a seat on the couch next to Yata, who was still seething about being told not to run off. It was impossible to understand anyone, there was so much noise.

"Enough." Mikoto spoke with an air of authority.

"Thank you." Izumo smiled at him as the room fell silent. "You all know why you were called here. We had a sighting of the guy who attempted to murder Tatara. We need to figure out a plan of action from here on out. I'm open to suggestions, but please speak one at a time."

One by one, people started giving their opinions. After much debate, they agreed to start searching the area around his last known location in small groups. We didn't want to draw too much attention to ourselves and risk scaring him off. I sat quietly, chewing on my thumbnail as I stared at the picture we had all received.

_Something just doesn't feel right about this. The guy definitely looks the same, but he's also different. _

"Hey, stop that." Yata scolded me, pulling my hand away from my face. "You alright?"

"Mm." I shook my head, pulling my feet up to sit in a crisscross position.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't explain why, but I think we're going after the wrong person."

"The hell?! That's him for sure!"

I frowned, going back to biting at my nail. I wasn't surprised that Yata didn't understand what I meant. I myself didn't really know why I felt the way I did. I kept replaying what I had seen that night over and over in my head, trying to figure out what it was that felt so wrong.

"Raven, what is it?" Mikoto was looking at me.

"The whole situation is messed up." I mumbled.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, there's no mistaking the similarities between this photo and the video clip, but it's off somehow."

"You're the only one that really got a chance to see him, other than Tatara, and he doesn't remember much." Izumo said. "What about him then is different from this picture now?"

"Just look at his face." I pulled the photo up again for reference. "In this photo all his features are relaxed and calm. In the video his face is contorted and disturbed. The way he talked and moved was shifty, too. Sure, this is the same physical body, but I don't think it's the same person inside it."

"Huh?" Yata looked absolutely lost. "I don't get it at all."

"You're trying to say that he seemed possessed by something." Tatara suggested. "San, how did he move when you took picture today."

"Normal, I guess." San shrugged. "He didn't act weird or anything. He just looked like an average guy walking down the street."

"See, that's my point." I sat up straighter, more confident in my suspicions. "I don't know how it's possible, but this isn't the person who shot Tatara."

"Could you tell for sure?" Mikoto asked.

"If I had the chance to talk to him, yes." I nodded, certain that I was right.

"Then that's the new plan." He leaned back and lit a cigarette. "We'll find him so you can question him. No one hurts him until you say so."

"Now we just have to figure out where he is." Rikio said. "Has Anna had any luck?"

Izumo shook his and sweet little Anna looked forlorn. I had learned not too long that she could psychically locate people with her marbles, among many other things.

"I think I know where he is." I quickly typed on my phone, pulling up an image of high school uniforms in the area. "The outfit he was wearing that night looks almost identical to the ones they wear at the school on the island."

"You, Yata, and Rikio will go over and investigate." Izumo decided. "Please remember that this recon only. Don't make any unnecessary trouble while you're on the island."

Everyone else was ordered to go about their day as normal. If we were going to be doing something like this, we needed to make sure that the blues didn't get suspicious of our actions. Several of our men were told to deliberately go out and cause small fights to draw them away from the school.

After I changed out of my gross clothes from the morning training, Yata, Rikio, and I headed to search the school island. We encountered our first problem immediately upon arrival. Everyone who came onto or left the campus had to have a digital pass on their PDA. Yata's natural reaction was to scare some guys into giving us passes. I told him that was a horrible idea because it would get us noticed immediately. Instead, I walked over to them and flirted my way into getting us in.

"You should have just let me handle it." Yata scowled as we went through the gates. "There's no reason you should have to do that shit."

"It was easier this way, dumbass." I spun around, the red flannel I had tied around my waist swinging with me. "We're trying to be at least sort of sneaky."

He grumbled some response that I rolled my eyes to. I let him lead for a while, watching as he avoided every girl that crossed our path. We combed the campus for hours, asking every guy we saw if he knew the kid from the picture. Oddly enough, no one seemed to recognize him. Granted, they could have been lying. People tend to do that when they're scared, and the two idiots whose company I currently kept definitely used intimidation in every way they could. I more or less just followed them around, staying quiet unless I needed to step in to calm one of them down.

"Yata, why don't we try asking those girls over there?" Rikio suggested.

"No way!" he blushed and turned his back. "If you want to find a guy, you ask guys."

"That's horrible logic, Yata." I scoffed. "Why don't you let me talk to them?"

Rikio beat me to it, and was yelling at the two girls before I could stop him. Naturally, Yata got upset and punched him, telling him not go around scaring girls. I rolled my eyes at their complete lack of class and walked over to the girls to apologize. I was calmly trying to ask them for any information they could give me, when I heard Yata yelling. I thanked them for their time and slowly jogged to where Yata and Rikio stood in the courtyard.

"Come on, Yata, let's get out of here." Rikio was pleading with his friend.

I looked in the direction they were facing and immediately tensed up. Across from them was a young man in the standard Scepter 4 blue uniform. He was tall with long dark hair that hung over his thick rimmed glasses on one side. This was the first time I had seen him not wearing civilian clothes, but I still recognized him. Saruhiko Fushimi. I clenched my fists at my sides, keeping my body mostly behind Rikio, praying that he didn't see me. I watched as the two of the them argued back and forth, unsure of what I could do to help without making things worse. They seemed to know each other, but I assumed it to be from fights and other confrontations the two clans had gotten into.

"What's wrong?" he taunted. "Did I hit a nerve, Mi-Sa-Ki?"

_Misaki? Is that Yata's first name? _

"I said don't call me by that name dammit! And don't talk about my people like you know them." Yata dropped his board, acting like he was going to charge in for a fight. "You're nothing but a damn traitor."

My eyes widened as realization hit me. Saruhiko was Yata's old partner from when he first joined HOMRA. He was the friend that had betrayed him. I cursed under my breath, knowing that I couldn't let the two of the get into a fight on the school grounds.

"Yata, stop." I grabbed his sleeve, stepping in front of him. "We can't afford to cause a scene here. You know that."

"You should listen to your friend, Misaki." I turned, glaring, and watched as recognition flickered across Saruhiko's face. He made an annoyed sound in his throat and looked down at the ground. "Shit. Whatever. You losers aren't worth my time anyway."

"Where the h-" I placed my hand over Yata's mouth, cutting him off.

_Why didn't you say anything, Saru? _

I watched as the blue clansman walked away, glancing back at us over his shoulder. If I didn't know any better, I would've said he looked almost sad as his eyes met mine. Once I was certain he was out of earshot, I let my hand drop from Yata's face.

"What the hell, Rae? Do you have any idea who he is?"

"Yata, why don't you and Rikio head back to the bar? I don't think we're going to get the info we want today."

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I just want to ask some of the girls, since you won't." I lied, faking a smile.

"Shut up." He mumbled. "Just don't stay out too long by yourself."

I waved my hand over my head as I started walking the direction that Saruhiko had went. As I rounded the corner, I yelped in surprise.

"Dammit, Saru!" I put one hand on my chest. "You scared the shit out of me."

He was leaning against the wall, just out of sight. He clicked his tongue in annoyance as I crossed the distance between us. Once I was within arms-reach, he grabbed my shoulders, spun me around, and pressed my back against the wall.

"What the hell are you doing with them?" he hissed, his face inches from mine. "Are you seriously playing house with Mikoto Suoh and his gang of misfits now?"

"Well, hello to you, too." I rolled my eyes. "It's nice to see you. How have you been? You know, any of those would have worked."

"Cut the shit, Raven. I asked you before if you knew what you were doing. Clearly, you've lost your damn mind."

"You act like being a part of his clan is the worst possible thing. Are you forgetting that Mikoto and Izumo were my friends? They still are."

"Your king is a ticking time bomb." He punched the well next to my face. "Was this why you wouldn't join Scepter 4? Were you waiting for this to happen?"

"That wasn't it at all, Saru. I just don't understand why you've been so against my involvement with them."

"I was trying to protect you!"

"I told you before that you don't have to."

"What if I want to?" his voice was barely above a whisper and he wouldn't look me in the eye. "I can't do that when you're with them."

I didn't know how to respond. I was used to Saruhiko being very aloof. This softer, more concerned side of him was new to me. He was almost as bad as Mikoto in that way, but where my king always acted like he was bored, Saru went out of his way to act cold and even cruel sometimes. Several minutes passed with neither of us speaking. Finally, I had to ask the question that was weighing heaviest on my mind.

"Why didn't you tell me about Yata?"

"It was never relevant. Besides, it wouldn't have made a difference." He backed away, adjusting his glasses. "You better go back."

"This doesn't have to mean we can't be friends."

"Tch." He clicked his tongue. "We were never friends. You were just some girl that I bailed out of trouble. Nothing more."

"Wow. Right. That's why you put a GPS tracker in my bracers and gave me the saber." I rolled my eyes. "Act like you don't give a shit if it helps you deal, but don't think I refused your offer to join Scepter 4 because I was waiting on Mikoto."

"I don't think anything other than you're making a horrible choice associating with the red clan. But I can't stop you." He paused, his eyes flitting over my face. "Just be safe. Please."

"Don't worry. I know how to find you if I need you."

"Misaki's slow." I looked at him with a confused expression. "If you're going to tell him about our communication, you have to do it in a way that even an idiot would understand."

"I'm sure I'll figure something out. Thank you, Saru."

"Whatever. Go back to your clan before they start worrying."

He turned his back on me for the second time that day and I watched him walk away, wondering if he was truly as cold-hearted as he liked for people to think. I made my own way toward the school exit and found Yata and Rikio talking to a girl. Apparently, she hadn't told them what they wanted to hear, because Yata's face scrunched up in annoyance. He cut his eyes in my direction, so I waved to get his attention. They waited for me to catch up and we started our journey back to the bar. I lingered behind the two of them, guilt slowly eating away at me. I wanted to tell Yata about Saruhiko eventually, but the information I had just learned made me hesitate. I had no idea how he would handle the news since he had just started to trust me.

_What if he decides he doesn't want to be my partner anymore because of this? Or worse, what if he feels like this was all a setup? _

I tried to push the thoughts to the back of my mind. It wasn't going to do me any good fretting over it. I was just going to have to figure out a way to make him understand. I did my best to stay involved in the conversation. They were debating what to do about the kid. No one we talked to had recognized his picture. Anna's psychic powers were never wrong, so we knew for certain that he had been on the island at some point. Back at the bar, Izumo let us know that he hadn't had any luck on his end either. He had called in a favor from Lieutenant Awashima of Scepter 4. He requested that she use their Uwashiki system to try and identify the boy, but he had no records there either. It was almost as if he had never existed at all.

Much like before, I was a useless waste of space sitting on the couch. While they discussed plans and strategies, I sat cross-legged, chewing on my nails. There was just too much information for me to process in such a short amount of time. My new powers, Saruhiko being Yata's old partner, the mysterious identity of the boy who shot Tatara. It was all stressing me out. Something Saru had said earlier was sticking with me, too.

_What did he mean when he said Mikoto is a ticking time bomb? Was he referring to the previous red king and the Kagutsu crater incident? If so, why does he think Mikoto's sword is going to fall? Is that something else I should worry about?_

I groaned, running my hands through my hair. I hated waiting. I hated not being in control of the situation. As I listened to the voices around me, I realized that we had no idea what we were doing. We had no new leads, no name to put to a face, and no more resources to use. Izumo was trying to be the voice of reason, doing his best to keep everyone from rampaging through the streets and drawing unwanted attention. Mikoto seemed to be bored, as usual. He was just sitting at the bar, smoking a cigarette and staring blankly at the wall of liquor in front of him. Anna was on her knees in front of the coffee table watching her marbles spin in circles on a map. I assumed she was attempting to locate the boy again. Every time they would come together, they were over the school island. She would knit her brows together and try again.

Finally, my anxiety reached it's peak. I stood, turning to walk toward the door.

"Where are you off to, Raven?" Tatara asked.

"I'm just going out for a walk." I rolled my neck, feeling a stress knot forming. "I think better when I'm moving around."

"I'm coming with you." Mikoto stated.

"You don't have to. I'll be fine by myself."

"It's not up for debate." He cast a glance at Izumo. "We'll be back in a while."

We exited the bar and I just started walking. I didn't know where I was going, but the atmosphere was incredibly awkward. I hadn't been alone with Mikoto like this in a very long time. Silence blanketed us as we started our journey to nowhere. I felt like I was supposed to say something, but I had no idea what. Plus, he was never big on talking, and as far as I could tell, that hadn't changed much since he became a king. I could feel him glancing down at me every now and then, but I pretended not to notice. After a while, I heard him light a cigarette.

"Would you mind if I got one of those?" I asked, holding my hand out.

"Since when do you smoke?" he asked, lighting it for me once it was in my mouth.

"I only do it when I get stressed."

He made a sound that I took to be a 'whatever' kind of noise. I took a long drag, feeling the nicotine fill my lungs. We continued on without speaking, him keeping pace right beside me. I tried to focus my attention on the trivial things around me. People going in and out of stores, kids playing and running down the sidewalk, or the weird looks Mikoto and I kept getting. The sun was starting to set and I decided to take a break from walking for a bit. We had reached a convenience store on the outskirts of the city. I told Mikoto that I was going to be right back, and went in to grab a couple of drinks and some cigarettes since I had been smoking all of his during our walk.

"I thought you might want some coffee." I said as I came back out, passing him the warm cup along with one of the packs of cigarettes. "I hope you still like sugar and cream."

He nodded without saying anything, opting to sit down at one of the tables set up a couple feet away from the door. I sat in the chair beside him, leaning my head back. The evening sky was beautiful, streaked with red and orange. I watched as it faded to pink, purple, blue, then finally black. I took a sip of my own coffee, letting the liquid warm me from the inside out.

"So, are you going to tell me what's on your mind?" Mikoto's voice broke the peaceful silence.

"Do I have to?" I sighed, still gazing upward.

"You know I'm not the best at this kind of stuff." I could hear him lean his elbows on the table. "Talking isn't my thing. Izumo was always better at helping you when you got like this. I used to think that you left because I didn't act like the friend I should have. The two of us gave you a home, but you were the one that ended up keeping me out of trouble. I never realized how much I needed you until you left."

"I never thought you were a bad friend. You and Izumo just have two very different personalities. I never held it against you that I always had to save your asses, either, so don't say things like that. It's not your style to be all soft."

I cut my eyes over to him, a small grin playing at the corners of my lips. However, it quickly fell when I saw the serious expression he had on his face. I turned away, not quite able to look him in the eye.

"I'm being serious, Raven. I'm sorry for all the shit you got into because of me. If I had thought a little more about you and Izumo back then, maybe you wouldn't have felt like you needed to leave to keep me safe."

"You could be right, Mikoto. If you hadn't been so reckless and made as many enemies as you did, I might not have left. But you could be wrong, too. I still may have felt like getting away from you was the best option I had. That's the problem with the past. People always want to change how it happened once they learn new things. They think one small action could have created an entirely different future for them. Then they end up living their life in regret, wondering what all they missed out on."

"Do you?"

"Do I what? Regret leaving?"

"Yea, or meeting me in the first place."

I let out a long sigh, setting my cup down so I could light a cigarette. I took a few small hits before speaking again.

"Honestly, I do. I regret leaving. I regret not saying anything to you or Izumo. I regret not sticking around to watch you grow into the king that you are now. Sometimes, I regret meeting you, too. Because then I wouldn't have spent so much of my life worrying about you. I could have avoided all the shit to do with kings and clans. But on the same token, I probably would have ended up captured by Scepter 4 once they reformed. Or I would have gotten mixed up with some shitty crowd of other strains. My point is, I have a lot of regrets, but at the end of the day, I don't want to go back and change anything. All of my choices have led me to where I am now. I'm right where I'm supposed to be, even if things didn't always go the way I wanted them to along the way."

"So, you're perfectly happy with how everything in life is right now?"

"I didn't say that. There are plenty of things I'm unhappy about. But there's no guarantee that changing the past will alter the present at all. I'd rather not take that chance if given the opportunity because there are a lot of good things that have happened because of my past. I don't want to lose all the good memories just to erase a few bad ones."

"What are you unhappy about right now?"

"Was this whole conversation just a way to get me to tell you what's on my mind?"

"Partially. But I have been thinking about those other things, too."

"Well, to answer your question in the simplest way possible, it's complicated. There are a lot of things going on right now that I just don't know how to deal with."

"Like what?"

"It's more like who. I have a million questions about Saruhiko and Yata. There are things I feel like you're hiding from me and the rest of the clan. Plus, we're trying to figure out what's going on with Tatara's would be murderer."

"You already know that you need to talk to Yata about what was going on with you and Fushimi. Telling me about it won't really help the situation. And you know that we're going to find that guy. I trust your judgement when it comes to things like this, so if you want first go at him, I'll let you have it."

"What about you? Saruhiko said some things to me earlier today and I can't get them out of my head. He called you a ticking time bomb. What did he mean by that?"

"You know better than to believe what you hear."

"That isn't a real answer and it doesn't exactly make me feel better." I frowned, crossing my arms. "I'm worried about you, Mikoto. If something is going on, I want to know about it. I just got back. I can't lose you again."

I watched his eyes grow wide for just a moment before a grin graced his lips.

"Did I mention that I missed having you around?"

"Don't make fun of me for worrying!" I got to my feet, my fists clenched at my sides. "And quit looking at me like that."

"What?" he let out a small laugh as he got to his feet, placing his hand on my head. "I think it's cute that you're concerned."

"Will you stop treating me like I'm your little sister or something?" I huffed, pushing his hand away. "You always mess up my hair, or push me around, or laugh at me when I panic."

"I never intended that." He scratched the back of his neck. "I can see how some of my actions would come off that way, though, now that you've pointed it out. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. If you think of me as your sister that's okay, I guess. That's not the real problem. I just don't want you to act like I'm in the way or that I always need to be protected. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I did think of you as a sister, but that was back when we were kids and you _did_ need to be protected. I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself. I'm still down to test your theory about being able to kick my ass, by the way."

"Now that I know you think of me as a sister it wouldn't be as fun." I pouted and crossed my arms over my chest. "You would hold back."

"Let me be clear on three very important things." He placed two fingers under my chin, tilting my head up. "I don't think of you as a sister anymore, Raven. I won't hold anything back."

With his free hand, he held up two fingers. The grin that had been on his face was now gone. In its place was an expression I had never seen before. I could only describe it as captivating.

"That's two. Number three is don't make faces like this around me. When I said I won't hold anything back, I didn't just mean fighting."

The words rolled off his tongue, sending chills down my spine. I felt frozen looking into his amber eyes as he watched me hiss in a shaky breath. His brows dipped together in the smallest of frowns and he brought his face centimeters from mine, his lips parting slightly. I blinked, and he was arms-length away, a cocky grin back on his face. He reached out to thump me lightly on the forehead.

"That was your warning. Now come on, I need some sleep."

He started walking in the direction of the bar without checking to see if I was following. Slowly but surely, reality caught up to me. All the blood in my body rushed to my face and I looked down at the ground, letting my hair fall over my shoulders.

_Mikoto? What the fuck just happened?_


End file.
